A former local authority chief executive has appeared in court charged over the alleged deletion of emails to prevent their disclosure in response to a Freedom of Information (FOI) request.<\/p>\n
Anne Donaghy (56), of Clonmore Road, Dungannon, has been charged with deleting an email and having attempted to delete an email to prevent the disclosure of information via the Freedom of Information Act, as well as procuring the deletion of an email, during her time at Mid and East Antrim Council.<\/p>\n
Aaron McClelland (49), of Clonmakate Road, Portadown, has been charged with one count of having attempted to delete an email.<\/p>\n
Both accused appeared before Ballymena<\/a> Magistrates\u2019 Court on Monday for the trial, which is expected to run across two days under District Judge Alana McSorley.<\/p>\n Speaking before the trial, a solicitor for Donaghy said she would \u201cvehemently contest these three technical offences\u201d.<\/p>\n The charges centre on the deletion of an email to former first minister of Northern Ireland Arlene Foster<\/a>. This email was the forwarding of a letter on February 2nd, 2021, which Donaghy had sent to a UK Cabinet Office official on January 3rd, 2021, outlining concerns over the operation of the Northern Ireland Protocol at Larne Port, and the safety of council staff.<\/p>\n The letter came at a time of political tension following the introduction of the so-called Irish Sea border between Northern Ireland and Britain after the United Kingdom left the European Union<\/a>. A number of council staff had been removed from Larne Port following alleged threats against them.<\/p>\n The court heard the letter had been forwarded to a number of DUP<\/a> politicians, including MPs Ian Paisley<\/a>, Sammy Wilson<\/a> and Jeffrey Donaldson<\/a>, as well as the council chairperson.<\/p>\n The prosecution said Donaghy was advised by the local MPs to write to the Cabinet Office to outline her concerns about the impact of the NI Protocol, and \u201csinister graffiti\u201d at Larne Port threatening staff operating inspections at the border post.<\/p>\n