A Derry man was remanded into custody on Monday after he was convicted by a senior judge of four terrorist offences arising from a data breach concerning serving PSNI officers.
Following a lengthy judgment delivered at Belfast Crown Court, Judge Stephen Fowler refused a defence request for bail and remanded Christopher Paul O’Kane (53) into custody.
The data breach occurred on August 8th, 2023, when, under a Freedom of Information request, the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) released a spreadsheet by mistake.
This spreadsheet contained more than 10,000 entries that included sensitive information regarding a significant number of PSNI officers and staff.
Ten days later O’Kane – who described himself as the former national secretary of Saoradh – was arrested.
From Iniscarn Road in Derry, O’Kane was subsequently charged with, and denied, four terrorist offences dating back to August 2023.
A former IT manager in the health service, O’Kane pleaded not guilty to preparation of terrorist acts and possessing articles in the use of terrorism, namely two Samsung mobile phones, an encrypted USB and an ASUS laptop.
He further denies possessing documents or records for use in terrorism, namely two spreadsheets containing details on serving PSNI officers and police staff officers.
The offences were committed on dates between August 7th and August 19th, 2023.
O’Kane also pleaded not guilty to viewing YouTube videos relating to improvised explosive devices and their detonation between August 1st and 19th, 2023.
During a subsequent non-jury trial, the Crown made the case that O’Kane engaged in a deliberate, concerted course of conduct following the mistaken released of the sensitive PSNI data breach in August 2023.
The Crown argued that O’Kane didn’t simply receive but actively sought out this information then engaged in an analysis of it.
The prosecution presented evidence during the trial that indicated the spreadsheet was present, opened and accessed on O’Kane’s devices and was subsequently manipulated by him.
It was also the case that information regarding several police officers known to O’Kane were highlighted and that in the aftermath of the data breach, O’Kane made a series of internet searches including methods of remote detonation of explosive devices.
These factors, together with O’Kane’s past terrorist convictions, were presented as demonstrating a strong circumstantial case against him.
The Crown’s case against O’Kane was rejected by the defence, who instead argued that the information from the data breach had been widely circulated by the time it came into his possession.
O’Kane claimed his interest in the material was solely political and could be used as propaganda in highlighting a significant failure by the PSNI.
The defence also argued there was no evidence he intended to use any of the material for a terrorist purpose and that the internet search was in relation to a planned family fireworks display.
As he gave his judgment, the senior judge rejected O’Kane’s defence and said it was “unsustainable” when set “against the compelling circumstantial case” presented by the Crown.
Fowler continued: “Accordingly I convict the accused … on all the counts on the bill of indictment.”
A barrister then handed the judge a copy of O’Kane’s criminal record and branded the offences he was convicted of as “very grave”.
Pointing out the charges will carry a lengthy sentence, he asked the judge to consider remanding O’Kane into custody.
O’Kane’s solicitor then addressed the judge and after pointing out his client has been on bail for “almost three years without any issue”, he asked for a readmittance to bail “for a short time” ahead of sentencing.
This was refused by the judge, who said: “These are serious offences and I’m remanding the defendant into custody.”
No date for the sentencing hearing was fixed on Monday and before O’Kane was led from the dock, he turned to several people in the public gallery and gave the thumbs up.
