NEWS

Concerns over the handling of the PSNI data breach have intensified after the names of 41 serving police officers were published on publicly accessible online court lists, sparking political criticism and renewed calls for urgent action from the Justice Minister. The Department of Justice confirmed that the names appeared on the Northern Ireland Courts and Tribunals Service website in connection with civil actions linked to the PSNI data breach scandal. The department has sin

An 11-year-old boy has died following a road traffic collision in Co Down, police have confirmed. The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) said the fatal incident occurred on Tuesday 3 February on the Corcreaghan Road in Kilkeel, and involved a car and a child. Emergency services were alerted to the collision shortly after 8am. Despite the efforts of police officers and paramedics, the young boy was later pronounced dead in hospital. Detective Inspector Stewart from the

A Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) officer has received management advice over his conduct after referring to a member of the public as “scum” , telling him he “punched like a fxxxxxx woman” , and failing to caution him during an arrest, a Police Ombudsman investigation has found. The findings follow an investigation into an incident at a private address in County Antrim in August 2023, after police were called to the scene. The complainant alleged that during his ar

Police have charged a man to court following a serious assault on a teenage boy in Ahoghill on Saturday night, 31 January. The man, aged 40, has been charged with grievous bodily harm with intent and possession of an offensive weapon with intent in connection with the incident. He is due to appear before Coleraine Magistrates’ Court today, Monday 2 February. The charges relate to an assault which took place in the village on Saturday evening and left the teenage victim requir

A man has been arrested following a serious assault on a teenage boy in Ahoghill, which left the victim requiring hospital treatment and deeply shaken. Police said the incident occurred at around 8.50pm on Saturday, 31 January, in a car park in The Diamond area of the village. According to police, the teenager was attacked by a masked man wielding a blunt object, believed to be a crowbar, during what is being treated as a violent and unprovoked assault. Sergeant Edens said:

Chief Constable Jon Boutcher The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) has issued a final call to anyone considering a career in policing, as applications for Student Officers and Custody Detention Officers enter their final days. The closing date for Student Officer applications is Wednesday 4 February 2026 , while applications for Custody Detention Officers will close on Monday 9 February 2026. Chief Constable Jon Boutcher has urged potential applicants not to miss the

Two men have been arrested following an arson attack on a residential flat in Cookstown that caused significant damage and forced the evacuation of neighbouring residents. Police confirmed they received a report of a fire at an upstairs flat in the Sullenboy Park area at approximately 7.10pm on Saturday, 31 January. A PSNI spokesperson said: “We received a report at approximately 7.10pm on Saturday, 31st January of a flat fire in the Sullenboy Park area. “Upon officers’ arriv

Police are appealing for witnesses and information following a violent burglary at a family home Co Antrim in which a woman was assaulted and children were present. The incident occurred on Friday night, January 30, in the Carnany Park area of Ballymoney. Police say they received the report shortly after 9pm, prompting an emergency response. Inspector Dalzell said officers were alerted to a serious disturbance involving armed intruders. “We received a report at around 9.15pm

Missing Antrim man Mervyn Fletcher Police in Antrim have issued an appeal for information as concern grows for a 69-year-old man who has been reported missing. Mervyn Fletcher was last seen on the Springfarm Road area of Antrim between midday and 2pm on Wednesday 28 January. Officers say efforts to locate him have so far been unsuccessful and they are urging the public to assist. Inspector Boyd said: “Mervyn was last seen on the Springfarm Road in Antrim between midday and 2p

The home in Broughshane boarded up following the incident, and (inset) Braid UUP councillor Alan Barr An attack on the home of two Indian men living in Broughshane is being investigated as a racially motivated hate crime, prompting condemnation from political representatives and concern across the local community. Police were called to a property on Main Street in the village after all front windows were smashed and the front door was broken during an incident at around 11.45

Inset: Victor Hamilton who was murdered in Ballymena in 2022 A man charged with the murder of a Ballymena resident has been arrested in Portugal, reigniting scrutiny of serious criminal justice and deportation failures highlighted by Ulster Unionist MLA Doug Beattie. Victor Hamilton, a 63-year-old man who had only recently moved to Ballymena, was stabbed to death in July 2022. His body was discovered in the driveway outside his home on Orkney Drive in the Ballykeel area of th

Missing 21-year-old woman, Kayleigh Girvan Police have issued an urgent public appeal as concern continues to grow for the welfare of a missing 21-year-old woman who has links to the Ballymena area. Kayleigh Girvan was reported missing and is believed to have travelled to Belfast, specifically the Great Victoria Street area, on Sunday, 25 January. Officers say they are increasingly worried about her wellbeing and are asking the public to remain vigilant. While Kayleigh is tho

Sentenced: Kornelijus Bracas A man who murdered his sister and deliberately set fire to her home, placing the life of his 12-year-old niece in grave danger, has been told he will serve at least 24 years in prison. Kornelijus Bracas, 27, appeared before Belfast Crown Court on Monday, 26 January, where the minimum tariff of his life sentence was formally set. Bracas was sentenced last October after pleading guilty to murder aggravated by domestic abuse, along with a series of s

Murdered: Coleraine man Wayne Reid Detectives investigating the murder of Wayne Reid in Coleraine have carried out further searches in the town as part of ongoing enquiries into his death. Officers from the Police Service of Northern Ireland’s Major Investigation Team were conducting searches on Saturday, 24 January, in the Lisnablagh Road area and surrounding locations. Mr Reid, aged 43, was pronounced dead at an address in the Society Court area of Coleraine on Monday, 12 J

Slew of offences uncovered when Nissan Micra vehicle stopped by PSNI Road Policing Interceptors in Ballymena town centre A routine stop by the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) Road Policing Interceptors has uncovered a catalogue of alleged motoring offences after officers intercepted a Nissan Micra in the Ballymena area late last night (Friday 23 January). Police say the driver appeared to be missing several of the most basic legal requirements for being behind the w

Missing man: Gary Bain from Belfast An extensive multi-agency search is continuing today for missing Belfast man Gary Bain, as police renew their appeal for public assistance. Gary, aged 37, was last seen in the Ormeau Bridge area on Wednesday morning, 21st January, and officers say searches will continue throughout the area as efforts intensify to trace his whereabouts. The operation, now entering its second day, is being led by the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI)

PSNI Chief Superintendent Sam Donaldson A senior officer with the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) has renewed an urgent appeal to motorists to prioritise road safety, after new figures revealed hundreds of drink and drug driving arrests during the Christmas period. Chief Superintendent Sam Donaldson issued the warning as data from the PSNI’s winter anti-drink and drug drive campaign highlighted the continuing scale of dangerous behaviour on Northern Ireland’s roads.

Inset: Cairndhu House, Larne Police in Larne have issued a public safety warning following a rise in reports of people entering derelict and abandoned buildings across the district, highlighting the serious risks associated with so-called “urban exploring”. Officers say the trend, which often involves individuals accessing disused industrial sites, vacant homes or former commercial premises, can carry life-threatening dangers and potential legal consequences. Larne Neighbourh

Murdered: 43-year-old Wayne Reid Detectives investigating the murder of Wayne Reid have issued a renewed appeal for information as police activity continues in the Society Street and Society Court areas of Coleraine. Officers from the Police Service of Northern Ireland’s Major Investigation Team carried out further searches in the area earlier today, Wednesday 21 January, as part of the ongoing investigation into the death of the 43-year-old man. Wayne Reid was pronounced dea

A 36-year-old man has been arrested in the Antrim area on suspicion of a number of drug-related offences following police searches in Randalstown and along the Ballymena Road. The arrest followed the search of a vehicle on the Ballymena Road shortly before 2.00pm on Tuesday, 20 January. During the search, officers seized a quantity of suspected Class B controlled drugs along with a sum of cash. Police then carried out a further search at a residential property in The Parade a