NEWS

Counterfeit goods seized by police during Safer Business Action Week Detectives from the Police Service of Northern Ireland have issued a stark warning about the risks linked to buying counterfeit goods after more than £1.1 million worth of fake items were seized during coordinated searches. The operation, carried out as part of Safer Business Action Week —a national initiative aimed at cracking down on business crime—saw officers search four properties in Dungannon and one i

Lisa Dorrian Detectives from the Police Service of Northern Ireland’s Major Investigation Team have arrested a 68-year-old man in connection with the murder of 25-year-old Lisa Dorrian, who disappeared nearly two decades ago. Police confirmed the man was detained earlier today, Monday 8 December, on suspicion of murder, assisting offenders, withholding information and preventing a lawful and decent burial. He remains in custody. Ms Dorrian was last seen alive on the night of

Cannabis plants discovered at a property in Cookstown Police have arrested three men after discovering a suspected cannabis factory in the Kinturk Road area of Cookstown late on Friday, 5th December. According to the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), officers were responding to a report of criminal damage when they uncovered the large-scale drugs operation. Detective Inspector Maguire of the Organised Crime Branch said: “Officers received a report that four men had

Economy Minister Dr Caoimhe Archibald has urged consumers across Northern Ireland to remain alert to fraudsters during the busy festive shopping period, warning that scammers are increasingly exploiting the rush of online gift buying. Dr Archibald said: “Fraudsters don’t stop for Christmas and will continue to operate, targeting people who are busy preparing for the festive season. With so many people shopping online for gifts it’s worth taking a bit more time to ensure that

38-year-old Thomas Scott The Police Service of Northern Ireland has acknowledged the sentencing of 38-year-old Thomas Scott, from Belfast, who has been jailed for a series of violent domestic abuse offences described as “terrifying” by investigating officers. Scott appeared at Belfast Crown Court on Thursday 4 December, where he received a three-year and four-month sentence, with half to be served on licence, for non-fatal strangulation aggravated by domestic abuse and assaul

A 25-year-old man living in County Antrim has been extradited from Northern Ireland to Lithuania, where he is wanted to stand trial for a series of alleged human trafficking offences involving children. Officers from the Police Service of Northern Ireland’s International Policing Unit confirmed the extradition took place on Thursday, 2nd December, concluding a process that began with the man’s arrest in Templepatrick on 2nd June 2024. The offences are alleged to have taken pl

Police have arrested two men following disturbances near a protest at Belfast City Hall on Tuesday evening (2 December), after a second group arrived at the scene and began antagonising demonstrators. Officers were deployed to the area when the protest began at around 5.30pm, with the PSNI confirming that the demonstration had remained peaceful until shortly after 6.30pm. According to police, tensions escalated when a separate group approached the protest and engaged in disru

A vehicle checkpoint at Shaws Bridge in Belfast at the winter anti drink and drug campaign launch The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) has issued a stark warning to motorists as it launches its winter anti–drink and drug driving campaign, urging drivers to “make good choices” amid rising concern about impaired driving across the region. The annual operation, announced in Belfast today (Tuesday 2 December), will see intensified roadside testing, coordinated cross-bor

The Police Service of Northern Ireland has launched a criminal investigation after masked and armed men appeared in an online video issuing threats to elected representatives in the Newry, Mourne and Down area. The video, which has circulated widely across social media platforms in recent days, shows several individuals dressed in paramilitary-style clothing and holding weapons. The group in the footage has called itself the New Republican Movement, an organisation previousl

Emergency services have carried out a large-scale training exercise in the Lough Neagh area of Antrim this morning (Saturday, 29 November), testing their readiness to respond collaboratively in the event of a major incident. The operation brought together multiple agencies, including the Police Service of Northern Ireland’s Air Support Unit, Lough Neagh Rescue Team and the Northern Ireland Coast Guard. According to the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), the exercise h

North Antrim MLA Jon Burrows North Antrim MLA Jon Burrows has appealed for calm following the Public Prosecution Service’s decision to withdraw attempted rape charges against two teenage boys in relation to a reported sexual assault in Ballymena earlier this year. The charges, stemming from allegations reported on 7th June 2025, were formally withdrawn at Laganside Youth Court on Friday, 28 November, after what the PPS described as “significant evidential developments”. Both

The Public Prosecution Service (PPS) has formally withdrawn attempted rape charges brought against two juvenile boys in connection with a reported sexual assault in Ballymena earlier this year. The charges, which related to an alleged incident on Saturday 7th June 2025, were withdrawn at Laganside Youth Court on Friday, 28 November. Both the PPS and senior detectives from the Police Service of Northern Ireland’s (PSNI) Public Protection Branch met with the complainant and her

A man wanted in connection with child sexual offences in Ballymena has been extradited from Spain to Northern Ireland, five years after he allegedly failed to answer bail. The 45-year-old suspect was transferred back to Northern Ireland on Thursday, 27 November 2025, following his arrest earlier this year in the Canary Islands. He is wanted to stand trial for five offences of sexual activity with a child, alleged to have taken place in the Ballymena area in August and October

Police have launched an urgent appeal for information after a man in his 20s was left in a critical condition following a hit and run collision in Craigavon on Monday, 24 November. The incident occurred shortly after 7.20pm in the Enniskeen area, where police say a man and a van were involved in a collision. The vehicle did not stop at the scene. Inspector Campbell said: “Shortly after 7.20pm, it was reported that a man and a van had been involved in a collision in the Ennisk

Police officers across Northern Ireland seized 58 uninsured vehicles in a week-long enforcement operation targeting illegal drivers, as part of the UK-wide Op Drive Insured campaign. The initiative, which ran from 10 to 16 November and is supported by the Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB), aimed to remove uninsured drivers from the roads and highlight the financial and safety risks associated with motoring without appropriate cover. Superintendent Jonathan Wilson said the operatio

The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) has launched its annual Christmas policing operation, Operation Season’s Greetings, aimed at keeping people safe throughout the festive period and into the New Year. The initiative, unveiled on Monday 24th November, will see increased police visibility and patrols across towns and cities, with a strong focus on shopping districts, nightlife venues and public transport hubs. Both uniformed and plain-clothed officers will be deploye

Police in Ballymoney have issued a fresh warning to motorists after an uninsured vehicle was taken off the road, leaving both the driver and the owner with a combined 12 penalty points and £410 in fines. Officers from the Ballymoney and Moyle Neighbourhood Policing Team (NPT) stopped the car earlier today as part of ongoing road safety checks. During the stop, police established that the person behind the wheel had no valid insurance to drive the vehicle — and the owner, who

PSNI police vehicle which was rammed off the road and through a fence Police have arrested a man in his 40s after a police vehicle was rammed off the road in Belfast on Sunday, 23 November, leaving three officers injured. The incident began at around 4.45pm, when officers on patrol in the Ballysillan Road area reported spotting a silver Ford Focus driving in a suspicious manner. Chief Inspector Claire Hamilton said: “At approximately 4.45pm, officers on patrol in the Ballysil

Sentenced: Harvey Shaw (20) A 20-year-old man has been handed a prison sentence for his involvement in large-scale disorder in Ballymena earlier this year. Harvey Shaw, also known as Harvey John Lee Shaw, was sentenced at Antrim Crown Court on Monday 24 November to 24 months in custody after being convicted of Riot. Shaw, from Ballymena, was arrested for his role in the sustained “race-motivated disorder” that took place in the town on Tuesday 10 June 2025. Police described

The white Yamaha 450 Kodiak quad bike stolen from Larne Police have launched an appeal for information following the theft of a grey Yamaha 450 Kodiak quad bike in the Deerpark Road area of Larne. The incident occurred at around 9pm on Thursday 20 November 2025, when the £7,000 vehicle was taken from a rural property. Officers are urging anyone who may have witnessed suspicious activity, or who may hold potentially relevant footage, to come forward. In a statement, police sa