A man has appeared in court charged with two terror offences relating to a data breach at the Police Service of Northern Ireland.

Christopher Paul O'Kane, from Main Street, Feeny, is charged with possessing documents or records likely to be useful to terrorists and possession of two mobile phones for use in terrorism.

The 50-year-old was pictured arriving at Coleraine Magistrates' Court in Ballymena, Co Antrim, earlier today.

In court he sat handcuffed between two police officers and refused to stand when the charges were read against him.

The defendant was arrested at his home on Friday after the personal data of all serving PSNI officers was mistakenly published online earlier this month.

Christopher Paul O'Kane (pictured) appeared in court today charged with two terror offences after a PSNI data breach earlier this month

O'Kane (pictured an Easter Commemoration ceremony in Derry in 2021) was arrested by police at his home in Feeny on Friday

The court was told two phones were discovered in his bedroom, with a PSNI officer telling the hearing O'Kane was in possession of a spreadsheet containing names from the data leak on a phone found at his Dungiven home.

The court heard that parts were highlighted which included details of sections of officers.

The officer also said O'Kane had registered with a website that could be used to search for addresses using surnames.

The officer said police believe O'Kane was intending to use the data to attempt to identify the home addresses of those named.

The second phone contained images of explosive detonators, the court was told.

The officer objected to bail based on the current heightened security situation.

A defence solicitor said there was no evidence the material had been used for any nefarious purposes or with any intent.

Bail was refused and O'Kane was remanded in custody for four weeks.

Coleraine Magistrates' Court (pictured) heard O'Kane had possession of a spreadsheet containing names from the data leak on a phone found at his Dungiven home

Chief Constable Simon Byrne (pictured) confirmed last week that dissident republicans had access to the information from the data leak

Personal data on all serving members of the PSNI was mistakenly published earlier this month in response to a Freedom of Information request.

Details released included the surname and first initial of every employee, their rank or grade, where they are based and the unit they work in.

Chief Constable Simon Byrne confirmed last week that dissident republicans had access to the information and he believed it would be used to intimidate and target police.

A document posted close to the Sinn Fein office in the Falls Road, Belfast, included information about a substantial number of police officers and staff, although their names had been removed.

A number of other data breaches have since come to light, including the loss of a police officer's laptop and notebook which contained details of 42 officers and members of staff after the items fell from a moving vehicle last week.