Co Armagh man jailed after filming police vehicles

Jailed: Samuel McCaughey, 35, from County Armagh

A County Armagh man has been jailed after filming police vehicles inside the yard of Lurgan Police Station and distributing the footage through social media.

Samuel McCaughey, 35, from Lurgan, was sentenced at Laganside Crown Court on Tuesday after being convicted of two terrorism-related offences under Section 58 of the Terrorism Act 2000.

The case dates back more than six years to May 2020, when McCaughey entered Lurgan Police Station in connection with the production of driving documents.

Footage distributed to hundreds of contacts

Police said McCaughey was seen recording vehicles within the station yard on his phone as he walked towards the enquiry office.

When challenged by station security, he put the phone away. Officers subsequently carried out a search, during which police said McCaughey threw the phone from his pocket onto the ground.

According to the PSNI, forensic examination later established that footage showing a number of police vehicles within the station had been posted on McCaughey’s social media and distributed to hundreds of his personal contacts.

McCaughey had been charged with collecting or making a record of information likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism, and publishing or communicating information about members of the armed forces likely to be useful to terrorists.

Both offences fall under Section 58 of the Terrorism Act 2000.

18-month custodial sentence

McCaughey was handed an 18-month custodial sentence and will spend a further 12 months on licence following his release from prison in respect of both offences.

He will also be subject to counter-terrorism registration requirements for 10 years.

Detective Inspector McCamley, from the Police Service of Northern Ireland’s Organised Crime Branch, said:

“On Wednesday, 27th May 2020 McCaughey entered Lurgan Police Station in relation to the production of driving documents.

“While he was walking down the yard and towards the enquiry office, he was observed recording vehicles within the yard on his phone. When challenged by station security he put his phone away.

“Officers conducted a subsequent search and the phone was seized after McCaughey threw it from his pocket and onto the ground.

“Forensic evidence revealed that a video of a number of police vehicles within the station had been placed on his own social media and distributed to hundreds of his personal contacts.”

Police say footage created security risk

Detective Inspector McCamley said the investigation had been lengthy and that the footage potentially exposed information about police resources and their operational presence.

He continued:

“This was a lengthy investigation that presented as a potential security risk to our officers, which ultimately could have disclosed the location and operational presence of police resources.

“McCaughey’s actions caused significant concern and worry among officers and contributed to a heightened sense of vulnerability, particularly given the potential for such sensitive information to be misused and cause harm.”

The sentence brings to a conclusion a case stemming from the incident at Lurgan Police Station in May 2020, with McCaughey now facing imprisonment, a further period on licence and counter-terrorism registration requirements lasting a decade.