IPT Finds MI5, PSNI Damaged Journalist Kearney

The Investigatory Powers Tribunal ruled that MI5 and the Police Service of Northern Ireland unlawfully accessed journalist Vincent Kearney’s phone data in multiple operations between 2006 and 2017, with authorisations found illegal and disproportionate. Kearney, now RTÉ’s Northern Editor and formerly BBC Northern Ireland’s Home Affairs Correspondent, was targeted to uncover confidential sources, and the tribunal noted the heightened protection for journalists serves the public interest. The IPT awarded Kearney £10,000 in damages from MI5 and £10,000 from the PSNI. It marks one of the first occasions MI5 has been ordered to pay journalist damages. The ruling followed disclosures involving other journalists, including Barry McCaffrey and Trevor Birney, and BBC and Kearney hailed it as a victory for journalism and press freedom. BBC and RTÉ emphasised protecting journalists’ ability to report without unlawful interference.