PSNI officer, who admitted unlawfully obtaining data on eight people, failed to appear at Craigavon court due to 'sensitive' nature of charges

Christopher Robert Michael Brett, aged 50, and whose address was given as PSNI Brooklyn, Knock Road, Belfast, faced a total of 12 charges at Craigavon Magistrates Court on Wednesday.

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District Judge Michael Ranaghan was told by Brett’s lawyer his client was not in court due to the “sensitive nature of the charges”.

Brett is charged with six counts of unlawfully obtaining/disclosing personal data and a further six charges of unlawfully obtaining data without the consent of the data controller.

The charges, which are dated between July 2011 and September 2022, relate to five women and three men.

A lawyer for Brett said: “I have made representations to the directing officer which were unsuccessful. I have instructions to enter guilty pleas to all matters.”

He added: “I think it is a case which might require a pre-sentence report.”

District Judge Ranaghan said: “Not least because I have never sentenced anyone under the Data Protection Act which is now repealed.”

He said he would order a pre-sentence report so the court is fully versed in the penalties for these cases.

When asked if Brett was in court, the District Judge was told: “The nature of the charges are somewhat sensitive as Your Worship can perhaps gather.”

A pre-sentence report was ordered for October 18. “You will impress upon Mr Brett the need to attend his appointments with Probation,” said the District Judge.

Meanwhile, in response to a Lurgan Mail query, a PSNI spokesperson said: “The officer has been repositioned pending the outcome of criminal and misconduct proceedings.”