Sinn Féin MLA Sean Lynch has welcomed yesterday’s Court of Appeal decision regarding stop and search operations carried out by the PSNI.
The Fermanagh/South Tyrone MLA and member of the Assembly’s Justice Committee said:

“Sinn Féin has for several years now been raising this matter. After the European Court ruled in 2010 that stop and search under Section 44 of the British Government’s 'Terrorism' Act was illegal the PSNI then used Section 21 of the North’s Justice and Security Bill 2007, to carry on where they left off.

“Clearly the court has decided that this legislation is open to abuse by those conducting the stop and search procedures and does not contain the adequate safeguards to prevent such an abuse.

"People want the PSNI to demonstrate to the community that they can deliver an effective, accountable and civic policing service. Resorting to harassing members of the public in some form of political policing is more likely to alienate people.”