BBC & Kearney and Moore v PSNI and Others

Investigatory Powers Tribunal · 2026-07-23 · UK · verified record

Themes: Cross-sector · National security

The Investigatory Powers Tribunal Neutral Citation Number: [2026] UKIPTrib 4 IPT/24(/M4R6KE6AR/NCEYH) & IPT/24/467/CH(BBC) IPT/24/771/H (MOORE) Date: 23 July 2026 IN THE INVESTIGATORY POWERS TRIBUNAL BEFORE THE PRESIDENT, LADY CARMICHAEL, MR JUSTICE CHAMBERLAIN AND MR STEPHEN SHAW KC BETWEEN: (1) MR VINCENT KEARNEY (2) BRITISH BROADCASTING CORPORATION Claimants -and- Respondents (1) CHIEF CONSTABLE OF THE POLICE SERVICE OF NORTHERN IRELAND (2) CHIEF CONSTABLE OF THE DURHAM CONSTABULARY (3) SECURITY SERVICE (4) GOVERNMENT COMMUNICATIONS HEADQUARTERS (5) SECRETARY OF STATE FOR NORTHERN IRELAND (6) SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT (7) SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN, COMMONWEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT AFFAIRS (8) COMMISSIONER OF POLICE FOR THE METROPOLIS ~and- MR CHRISTOPHER DAVID SAMUEL MOORE Claimant ~and- (1) CHIEF CONSTABLE OF THE POLICE SERVICE OF NORTHERN IRELAND (2) CHIEF CONSTABLE OF THE DURHAM CONSTABULARY (3) SECURITY SERVICE (4) SECRETARY OF STATE FOR NORTHERN IRELAND (5) SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT (6) SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN COMMONWEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT OFFICE (7) COMMISSIONER OF POLICE FOR THE METROPOLIS Respondents Mr Jude Bunting KC and Mr Jonathan Scherbel-Ball for BBC/Kearney Mr Mark Vinall for Mr Moore Ms Cathryn McGahey KC and Mr David Reid BL for the PSNI Mr Aaron Rathmell for Durham Mr Richard O’Brien KC and Mr Andrew Byass for the NCRs (Security Service, GCHQ, SoSNI, SSHD, SSFCDA) Mr James Berry KC and Ms Chloe Hill for the MPS (instructed but not appearing) Mr Jonathan Glasson KC and Ms Rachel Toney as CTT Hearing date: 25 – 26 February 2026 1. Vincent Kearney was between 2006 and 2019 BBC Northern Ireland’s Home Affairs Correspondent. His work focussed on politics and security. It is not in dispute that his journalism has made an important contribution to the debate on matters of public importance in Northern Ireland. 2. Disclosure in another claim before this Tribunal revealed interferences by public authorities with Mr Kearney’s journalistic data. This prompted the BBC and Mr Kearney to file human rights claims with the Tribunal on 17 May 2024. 3. Since then, the respondents have given OPEN disclosure, as a result of which the claims have been amended. The issues now in dispute in OPEN are relatively narrow in compass, because of concessions made by the respondents.…