Two people are to be prosecuted following a police investigation into Mid and East Antrim Council. The Public Prosecution Service (PPS) says it's linked to the alleged deletion of e-mails related to a Freedom of Information request. One person is being prosecuted for three offences under section 77 of the Freedom of Information Act. The other is facing one charge under the same act. A total of four people were reported on a police file submitted to the PPS for consideration. In a statement the PPS said that the available evidence in relation to the other two people being investigated is insufficient to provide a reasonable prospect of conviction and therefore the test for prosecution is not met. Police twice searched the council offices in October 2021 and then the following April. The BBC Spotlight programme previously reported it was connected to alleged attempts to delete correspondence relating to the decision to withdraw council staff operating under the post-Brexit trade conditions known as the Northern Ireland Protocol. The staff, who were carrying out checks on goods arriving from Great Britain, were removed because of apparent threats from loyalist paramilitaries. It later emerged the then council chief executive Anne Donaghy had written to the UK Cabinet Office before the decision to remove staff was taken. She told the UK government that graffiti had been directly targeting council staff working on checks. The then Agriculture Minister Edwin Poots subsequently withdrew inspectors performing the checks at ports in Northern Ireland. However, shortly after, all staff had returned to duties with the PSNI issuing a written threat assessment stating it had no information to support claims of loyalist paramilitaries threatening staff safety.
Former council boss one of two charged over alleged deleted emails
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"Two Individuals Charged Over Alleged Deletion of Emails at Mid and East Antrim Council"
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TruthLens AI Summary
A police investigation into the Mid and East Antrim Council has led to the prosecution of two individuals in connection with the alleged deletion of emails that pertained to a Freedom of Information request. The Public Prosecution Service (PPS) has indicated that one individual faces three charges under section 77 of the Freedom of Information Act, while the second individual is charged with one offence under the same statute. This decision comes after a police investigation that involved the examination of evidence related to the deletion of correspondence, which was reportedly linked to the council's actions regarding the post-Brexit Northern Ireland Protocol. The investigation was extensive, with police conducting searches of council offices twice, first in October 2021 and again in April 2022, as they sought to uncover the circumstances surrounding the alleged misconduct.
The backdrop of this investigation includes significant political and operational implications for the council. Reports from the BBC Spotlight programme revealed that the controversy arose when council staff, who were responsible for carrying out checks on goods arriving from Great Britain, were withdrawn from their duties due to alleged threats from loyalist paramilitaries. The then chief executive of the council, Anne Donaghy, communicated concerns to the UK Cabinet Office, citing graffiti targeting council staff as a serious threat. Following these communications, the Agriculture Minister at the time, Edwin Poots, made the decision to withdraw inspectors from ports in Northern Ireland. However, shortly thereafter, these staff members returned to work when the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) issued a threat assessment indicating no credible evidence of threats against staff. The decision by the PPS to prosecute two individuals stems from the investigation into these troubling events, highlighting ongoing issues related to governance and transparency within the council.
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