A former police officer appeared in the dock of Belfast Crown Court on Tuesday where he denied a raft of charges relating to alleged misconduct in a public office.
The defendant, whose personal details are the subject of an anonymity order, was referred to an ‘XX’.
After confirming his identity to a court clerk, he was then charged with misconduct in a public office.
He was charged that on dates between July 23, 2012 and January 20, 2017, being a PSNI police officer he wilfully neglected to perform his duties and wilfully misconducted himself to such a degree as to amount to an abuse of the trust of the public in that he as a police officer without reasonable excuse or justification possessed and shared images relating to the death of a male. When asked how he pleaded, the defendant replied “not guilty.”
He was then charged with a further 14 charges of a similar nature - namely misconduct in a public office - and he again replied “not guilty”. ‘XX’ was also charged with aiding and abetting misconduct in a public office which relate to a female co-accused referred to in court as ‘XY.’
This charge stated that on dates between August 15 and August 18, 2014, ‘XY’ being a PSNI officer she wilfully neglected to perform her duty and wilfully misconducted herself to such a degree as to amount to abuse of the trust of the public in her duties as a police officer, namely an investigation concerning the seizure of cannabis in Rathfriland and that XX aided and abetted her.
He denied this charge and a second offence of a similar nature, namely aiding and abetting misconduct in a public office. ‘XX’ was then charged with aiding and abetting theft, namely that between August 15 and August 18, 2014 ‘XY’ stole cannabis belonging to another and that he aided and abetted the commission of the offence.
When charged with this, ‘XX’ replied “not guilty”.
He also denied a second charge of aiding and abetting theft. The court clerk then charged ‘XX’ with supplying cannabis to another on dates between August 15 and 18, 2014 and when asked how he pleaded, ‘XX’ replied “not guilty.”
The final charge levelled at ‘XX’ was attempting to supply the Class C drug Tramadol to another on dates between April 19 and August 28, 2014. He also denied this charge.
The female officer appeared in court last month when she was arraigned on a total of seven charges.
She entered “not guilty” pleas to charges including misconduct in a public office, the theft of cannabis and supplying cannabis to another.
Judge Patricia Smyth KC scheduled a hearing regarding the anonymity order to take place in May 31.
The Belfast Recorder said she would also set a date for the trial of the pair on that date and she granted ‘XX’ continuing bail.