Former council chief executive Anne Donaghy faces prosecution for allegedly concealing records, her solicitor said on Friday.
Ms Donaghy, who led Mid and East Antrim Council until her suspension from the role in December 2021 denies any wrongdoing, Kevin Winters, of KRW Law, said in a statement on her behalf.
The ex-council official resigned from the post in early 2023, on health grounds. The 55-year-old held the post from 2015 following the reorganisation of the councils.
Mr Winters said Ms Donaghy has an “outstanding High Court legal action against the council alleging discrimination together with extant tribunal disciplinary proceedings”.
“Today we received notification that she will be prosecuted on three counts of allegedly concealing records; aiding and abetting another person to erase or conceal a record and attempting to erase or conceal a record contrary to FOIA and other legislation,” the solicitor said.
“Our client denies any wrongdoing during her time in office and will vehemently contest these three technical offences.”
The 55-year-old mother-of-two said the same allegations were “the subject of a long-running complaint to” the Police Ombudsman of Northern Ireland.
Mr Winters described Ms Donaghy, awarded an OBE in 2020, as an individual with “an impeccable record and service working for the council”.
“She wants to put on record her sincere thanks for the all the support she has received from former colleagues in council and beyond in the wider community.
“Our client takes a lot of strength from this and knows it will serve her well going forward.”