FOI release

SIA prosecution in Northern Ireland: external legal spend

Published 19 September 2023

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1. Request

Please provide the following:

  1. External legal spend in respect of the investigation and prosecution against myself.
  2. External legal spend in respect of the two judicial review proceedings.
  3. Any other external legal spend connected to the proceedings listed above.
  4. A list of prosecutions in Northern Ireland brought since the Private Security Industry Act 2001 came into force in that jurisdiction, under section 22 of the 2001 Act.

2. Response

I confirm that the SIA currently holds part of the information requested as set out below.

The SIA Legal Services Team have confirmed that they are yet to be billed for the totality of the work in respect of the prosecution against yourself. In the circumstances, it is proposed that as this information is not currently held, it will be provided once it has been received. It is anticipated that we will be billed within the next month.

The external legal spend is as follows:

  • JR proceedings (warrants) - £67,680.00
  • JR proceedings (decision of DJ Hamill) - £33,050.62

£2,050 relating to the instruction of independent counsel in relation to a review of electronic material (images of seized computers) for items subject to legal professional privilege and material that is journalistic.

2.4 Prosecutions in Northern Ireland

Records held date back to 2008. The following is a list of individuals prosecuted under section 22 PSIA 2001 by the SIA:

  • Alan Agnew, 1 August 2023
  • Ryan Wilkinson, 30 May 2023
  • Christopher Butler, 28 March 2023
  • Tomas Tolan, 14 June 2022

[Reference: FOI 0440]

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