MI5 to pay compensation for surveillance on journalists phone

MI5 and the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) have been ordered to pay £20,000 in damages to a journalist, after they illegally obtained his phone records.

Former BBC Journalist Vincent Kearney took a case at the Investigatory Powers Tribunal (IPT) in London.

It is believed to be the first time that MI5 has been directed to pay compensation to a journalist.

Kearney was the subject of secret operations aimed at discovering his confidential sources while he worked at the BBC in Belfast.

In a statement welcoming the judgement, Kearney said: “I am delighted the court has penalised those responsible for breaking the law.

“The fact it decided to award damages reflects the seriousness of the case.

“It is important that agencies charged with upholding the law know that they are not above the law and will be held to account.”

The BBC, which brought the case alongside Kearney, said: “Today’s findings are welcome, necessary and significant.

“We hope that their effect will be to protect journalists and their freedom to report and investigate stories into the future.”

Kearney worked for BBC Northern Ireland for 18 years until 2019, when he joined RTÉ, where he is currently its northern editor.

There were multiple operations targeting him between 2006 and 2014, when he was a BBC correspondent covering policing and security issues.

Four of them were run by the PSNI, who also created a “profile” on him, which included car registrations and the names of his wife and mother-in-law.

He suspects it was for surveillance purposes.