Man arrested after security breach at police training centre

Police have launched a criminal investigation

Author: Chloe GibsonPublished 3rd Jul 2023
Last updated 3rd Jul 2023

A man has been arrested following an incident involving a knife at a police station in Co Antrim.

A man armed with a knife gained access to a police training facility in Steeple on Sunday June 11, it was reported on the BBC's Stephen Nolan show.

It was reported that a man waved a knife at two guards in a security hut before going into the complex, where he tried to access buildings. He was said to have left after 40 minutes.

A Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) spokesperson said an internal review of site security had since been carried out.

In a statement, the PSNI said it could confirm that a security breach had taken place at Steeple Training Estate, Antrim, on Sunday June 11.

"A criminal investigation is under way and our enquiries are ongoing," the force said.

"A 43-year-old man was arrested and has since been charged with possession of an offensive weapon and will appear in Antrim Court on July 25."

The statement continued: "We take the safety of our officers and staff extremely seriously and, as a result of the incident, have conducted an internal review of site security in line with existing procedure.

"We can confirm that all buildings within the training facility were secured and no access was gained."