Dungiven: Poster linking names to PSNI is incorrect, police say

The poster was placed in the Chapel Road area of Dungiven

Police have said information on a poster put up in Dungiven linking three people to the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) is incorrect.

The details were publicly displayed in Chapel Road on Thursday evening.

Ass Ch Con Chris Todd said it was a "clear attempt to intimidate police officers, staff and their families".

Last month, the names of 10,000 officers and civilian staff were mistakenly released in a Freedom of Information request.

Ass Ch Con Chris Todd said he recognised the impact on the individuals and their families following Thursday's incident and that police have been in contact with them.

The senior officer said an investigation was under way and additional security and patrols had been implemented across Northern Ireland as part of the police response.

He added that "police can confirm that the information contained on the poster is incorrect".

One woman in her 50s from a small, rural village in County Derry spoke to BBC News NI.

She said she shared the same name as one of those on the poster but neither she, nor anyone in her family, had any connection with the PSNI.

Sinn Féin councillor Sean McGlinchey says he has spoken with two of the people named

Sinn Féin councillor Sean McGlinchey said the incident is "very sinister" and the poster was quickly removed early on Friday morning.

"As a party we have bought in to try and make policing work," he said.

"We have a system on the Policing Board of accountability and that's the way forward - there is no other way we are going to change society or make policing work."

DUP MP for East Londonderry Gregory Campbell described the timing of the incident as "exceptionally sinister and serious".

"Coming into the week with the chief constable, the whole issue with the Policing Board and morale at an all-time low in the police, now someone has decided - at the weekend of that week - to put this up," he said.

DUP MP Gregory Campbell says some of the information which was posted was not accurate

"My information is that some of the information contained on this banner, or whatever it was, isn't even accurate.

"It's designed to create tension and cause a division and we have to make sure that it doesn't succeed in doing that."

SDLP MLA Cara Hunter said "given the sensitive nature of policing here, it's imperative that officers feel as safe as possible in their homes and in their communities".

"It's disgraceful that anyone would try to exploit this to intimidate or to put officers in real danger," she said.

"Those who seek to intimidate or threaten police have no support from the local community here and any attempt to use information about police officers in this way should be fully condemned and rejected."

Police appealed to anyone with any information relating to this incident to contact them on 101. They said they were particularly keen to hear from anyone who was travelling through Dungiven on Thursday night and who may have dash cam footage.