Police statement on Castlereagh case

The case against a chef accused of involvement in a high profile burglary at Special Branch headquarters in Belfast has collapsed. This is the PSNI statement explaining why the case will not proceed.

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The PSNI has pursued a rigorous and thorough investigation into the events concerning the aggravated burglary at Castlereagh Police Station which occurred on March 17 2002.

All materials and evidence gathered during the course of that investigation and known to the PSNI were properly presented or revealed to the public prosecution service who initially concluded that the test for prosecution was met.

Recently, other material (which did not originate from the PSNI or the security and intelligence agencies) was drawn to the attention of the PSNI. This was relevant to the facts at issue and the PSNI agreed was such that its disclosure would be necessary in order for Mr Zaitschek to receive a fair trial.

Despite the efforts of the PSNI, we are not in a position to make available all the relevant material to PPS for the purposes of disclosure.

Consequently, the PPS have concluded that Mr Zaitschek could not receive a fair trial and PSNI are in agreement that a prosecution could not proceed in those circumstances.