A PROMINENT member of Northern Ireland's Roma community who was arrested in a police probe into intimidation has been granted British citizenship.
Nicolae Nicola (30) has been the public face of a south Belfast organisation called the Romanian Roma Community Association of Northern Ireland (RRCANI).
RRCANI, based in the Holylands, has been at the centre of a PSNI probe into claims of exploitation and intimidation of the area's Roma community.
RRCANI has strongly denied the allegations.
Mr Nicola was arrested in February and police later sent a file to the Public Prosecution Service (PPS) to consider the alleged offences of harassment and attempted intimidation.
The PPS decided not to pursue a prosecution after concluding that its evidential test had not been met.
Late last month, Mr Nicola attended a ceremony along with dozens of other people at the Lagan Valley Island centre in Lisburn as they formally received British citizenship.
He updated his Facebook profile picture to show what appeared to be his "certificate of naturalisation as a British citizen".
Decisions to grant British citizenship are determined by UK Visas and Immigration, which is part of the Home Office.
Naturalisation applicants are subject to a 'good character' requirement, for which officials would consider factors such as previous convictions.
A police spokeswoman said: "The PSNI is unable to comment on named individuals and no inference should be drawn from this."