with collecting information likely to be of use to terrorists

A man arrested by detectives investigating the £26.5m (€39m) Northern Bank robbery in Belfast was charged today with collecting information likely to be of use to terrorists.

Peter Kelly denies the charge, which relates to an unauthorised document on his work computer which allegedly contained the names, payroll references and National Insurance numbers of 36,000 Northern Ireland civil servants.

The document also included similar details for 3,300 civil servants who worked for the PSNI and 70 prison service employees, Belfast Magistrates’ Court heard.

Kelly, 30, of Drumboniff Road, Newry, Co Down, denies a second charge of possessing a document or record likely to be of use to a person committing an act of terrorism.

The computer technician was remanded in custody and will reappear via videolink on November 16.

Detective Inspector Ian Monteith confirmed Kelly was arrested in relation to the Northern Bank robbery. He told the court he believed he could connect him to the charges.

Mr Monteith said that when he put the charges to the accused, he replied: “I refute and deny absolutely these hysterical paranoid charges.

“All I ever done was the job I was paid to do by BT.

“I would not be charged with these charges if I was a unionist.”

The court heard the document was compiled some time between January 1 2000 and November this year at an unknown address.

Mr Monteith said Kelly worked for the Department of Finance and confirmed his employers had been questioned.

He said: “They are unaware of the origin of that document.

“They had never seen it before.

“The defendant was not authorised to have such information.”

Mr Monteith said Kelly was regarded by his employers as a very skilled computer technician.

He also confirmed a number of computers and a laptop were seized by detectives as part of the investigation.

Mr Monteith said the information possessed by the defendant would have made him vulnerable to unhelpful approaches and possible threats.

Addendum (added Feb 2024): Charges against Peter Kelly were dropped in December 2005. After the charges were withdrawn at Belfast Magistrates Court Mr Kelly's solicitor Niall Murphy, said: "His name was linked to the Northern Bank investigation and there is no justification for such a link. He was never charged with any offence in connection with the robbery."