A Police Ombudsman file linked to a PSNI officer alleged to have taken photographs of at least one dead person has been referred to prosecutors.
A file linked to the officer and a colleague was sent from the Police Ombudsman to the Public Prosecution Service (PPS) last week.
The pair, understood to be a male and female, have been interviewed under criminal caution on suspicion of a range of alleged offences.
The Irish News revealed earlier this month that the ombudsman was investigating allegations that a PSNI officer took at least one picture of a dead person and shared the image by mobile phone.
The Police Ombudsman has previously said the officer was "subject" of an investigation into an "allegation of taking and distributing photographs of a deceased person or persons".
A spokesman for the Police Ombudsman last night said that in 2017 it was "decided it was necessary, in the public interest, to commence an investigation into concerns that police information had been shared via the social media platform Twitter".
"During the course of the Police Ombudsman investigation, two police officers were interviewed under criminal caution on suspicion of a range of offences including breaches of the data protection act, computer misuse, theft, possession and supply of drugs, and misconduct in public office," the spokesman said.
The spokesman confirmed a file linked to the case has now been sent.
"The Police Ombudsman has sent a file for direction to the Public Prosecution Service in relation to this investigation," he said.
"The Police Ombudsman investigation into potential misconduct matters relating to this conduct is ongoing and it would not be appropriate to comment further at this time."
A spokesman for the PPS said it has received a file.
"This file remains under consideration and engagement is continuing between the PPS and PONI on this matter,” he said.
Details of the investigation have emerged months after two officers in England were jailed for sharing pictures they had taken at a double murder scene.
In December, Metropolitan Police officers Deniz Jaffer and Jamie Lewis were jailed for 33 months each for taking pictures of murdered sisters Nicole Smallman (27) and Bibaa Henry (46).
The victims had been celebrating Ms Henry’s birthday on the night they were repeatedly stabbed to death in north London by Danyal Hussein, who was later jailed for a minimum of 35 years.
Jaffer and Lewis sent the images and a series of vile messages to others via WhatsApp.
