A Co Fermanagh woman claims PSNI officers gave her £300 worth of shopping gift cards in an attempt to recruit her as an informer.
Mother-of-four Sharon Boyle says two detectives gave her Next and Asda gift cards valued at £150 each after she was approached at her home in Enniskillen last month.
The 30-year-old is a member of the Irish Republican National Congress (IRNC), a little-known anti-agreement organisation.
While it is not unusual for people to claim that they have been offered cash to become informers, it is considered rare for gift cards to be used as a lure.
Ms Boyle, who is known as Bella to family and friends, said had just returned from a school run when she was met by two plain clothed officers outside her Enniskillen home.
She thought the officers wanted to speak to her about a family member, however, on going into her home one of them suggested he could help “stop” recent ‘search’ operations against her.
She claims the officers wanted her to provide information about IRNC members.
“I said I don’t know what you are talking about and I would have no information to give you,” she said.
She says the officers also asked her to provide information about a Belfast based republican.
Ms Boyle said she was surprised when one of the PSNI men produced the gift cards.
“When they were leaving they gave me the vouchers,” she said.
“He said that with me being a single mother I am bound to be struggling and it would not be easy.”
Her solicitor Aiden Carlin said he had a complaint with the Police Ombudsman.
A spokesman for the PSNI said the force does not comment “on intelligence matters and no inference should be drawn from this”.
He added that the “PSNI's policy in relation to the use of Covert Human Intelligence Sources is strictly governed by the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 and is fully compliant with Human Rights legislation”.
