Larne Port: Council chief executive 'didn't know threat source'

The workers were carrying out checks required by the NI Protocol of Brexit

The chief executive of Mid and East Antrim Council "did not know the source of the threat" to council staff at Larne port, council minutes show.

The minutes also state that Anne Donaghy had "no way of finding out other than through the PSNI".

Last month, 12 environmental health workers were temporarily removed from inspection checks at the port over fears for their security.

It followed the appearance of threatening graffiti in the town.

The PSNI later said there was nothing to indicate loyalist paramilitary involvement or that workers' car registrations had been taken.

The staff had been carrying out checks required by Brexit's NI Protocol.

Anne Donaghy said she had no way of finding out the source of the threats other than through the PSNI

The council minutes said that at a meeting of group party leaders earlier on the day the workers were removed, there had been "unanimous support across the parties" to withdraw council staff with immediate effect until a full and formal PSNI threat assessment and council risk assessment could be completed.

A "summary of allegations" was given to councillors, including the appearance of graffiti during the previous fortnight "indicating that border post staff were targets", and noted "concerns over unconfirmed reports of threatening and intimidating actions including the recording of number plates" and whether there was "evidence of who was behind this activity".

The report of the meeting noted that the chief executive was "very unclear to the exact position" of this information.

It went on to say that the "chief executive informed that a major union had requested a renewed risk assessment and that as head of the staff, she considered this was essential to review and clarify the situation and she had requested a formal threat assessment from the PSNI".

She said that she was seeking assurance from the police as to the level of the threat, who would be behind it and the credibility of it.

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The report stated: "The chief executive advised that this was all she knew and the fact that she did not know everything was part of the reason why the threat assessment and subsequent risk assessment were so critical."

She said that a "better safe than sorry approach was important in relation to staff as she has a low threshold for risk when it came to staff safety".

Independent Ballymena Cllr Rodney Quigley asked the chief executive if paramilitaries were involved and if this had been confirmed by the PSNI.

The report said: "In reference to paramilitaries, she informed that she did not know the source of the threat.

"She reiterated that the reason why a formal PSNI threat assessment was being requested was that she did not know and had no other way of finding out other than through the PSNI.

The report concluded that the mayor had praised members on the "unity displayed in relation to the 12 officers and senior officers' safety".