A 53-year-old man from Londonderry has been convicted at Belfast Crown Court of four terrorist offences connected to the 2023 data breach at the Police Service of Northern Ireland.

Christopher Paul O'Kane, of Iniscarn Road, was found guilty of preparing terrorist acts, possessing articles for use in terrorism, and having documents or records for terrorism. The charges also included viewing online videos about improvised explosive devices and their detonation.

The offences took place between 7 and 19 August 2023, shortly after the PSNI mistakenly published personal details of thousands of employees in response to a freedom of information request. The released data included surnames, initials, ranks, locations and units.

Prosecutors said O'Kane actively sought out and analysed the information on his devices, highlighting officers known to him. They also presented evidence that he searched for methods of remotely detonating explosives.

O'Kane denied the charges and argued his interest in the material was political, to expose a significant police failure, and that the explosive-related searches were for a planned family fireworks display.

The judge dismissed the defence as unsustainable against the prosecution's compelling circumstantial case and convicted him on all counts.

The court also considered O'Kane's previous offending, which prosecutors said showed longstanding hostility to police. Convictions included assisting offenders in the 1993 murder of a police constable in Derry, involvement in an IRA attack on a police patrol, and transporting a bomb to an army base where two soldiers were injured. More recent matters included taking part in unnotified processions and an altercation with police.

O'Kane was refused bail and remanded in custody. A date for sentencing has not yet been set.