Material from Facebook is being sought by the PSNI in the case against a Lurgan man who is accused of gathering information likely to be of use to terrorists.

The case against Sean Patrick Martin, aged 41, from Carrigart Manor, Craigavon, was before Craigavon Magistrates Court. He is charged with collecting or making records of information likely to be of use to terrorists and publishing or communicating information on a police officer which is likely to be of use to terrorists.

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Craigavon Courthouse. Picture: National World.

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The charges are dated July 6, 2023 when Martin is accused of taking a photo of a police officer’s personal vehicle and that he sent a message with the policeman’s house number to a Facebook account of a dead friend.

Earlier courts shared that Martin and the officer had been in a chemist’s shop collecting prescriptions when the defendant heard the officer giving his address to staff.

The court also heard Martin knew the officer and took a photo of him standing by his car soon after. Although no vehicle registration details were shared, the court heard the defendant sent the photo to a WhatsApp group of up to 15 people.

Martin’s barrister Mr Andrew Moriarity told District Judge Michael Ranaghan that the prosecution didn’t seem ‘armed with any meaningful update’ at recent hearings.

A prosecutor said he had received an update from the PSNI’s directing officer received last Monday afternoon that police have made enquiries with the PPS High Court and International Section.

"No time frame is available for receipt of the Facebook material in the United States. Unfortunately the material was not fully copied on the last occasion and a further disc is awaited from the United States.

"The content of the Facebook post is germane to the offence under consideration and the test for prosecution could not be fully considered without the Facebook material being available,” he said, adding the case will be prioritised upon receipt of the material from Facebook.

"However this is a matter beyond the control of the directing officer,” he said, asking for a further adjournment.

Mr Moriarity said he was grateful for the update but said “the one thing that strikes a note of concern for me is the fact that there is no time frame for the receipt of the Facebook material”.

“I’m just wondering therefore in the circumstances how much longer should be given,” he asked.

District Judge Michael Ranaghan said he understood it was difficult to get a time frame around these investigations with Facebook.

“The investigating officer, since the last mention in court, has done his utmost to provide a fulsome update. He has obviously gone to the appropriate section of the PPS and has given an outline of all the steps that need to be taken,” said the district judge.

However, he said there were “competing interests of defendant and the public interest in matters such as this being properly prosecuted”.

He adjourned the case to March 12 saying he would “keep a relatively light rein” on the case and will review it every three weeks.