A police officer appeared in court on Tuesday accused of stealing ammunition and abusing his position of trust within the PSNI.
Appearing at Antrim Magistrates Court, sitting in Ballymena, 63-year-old Robert Charles Rodgers confirmed his name and that he understood the eight charges against him.
Under firearms legislation, Mr Rodgers, whose address was given as c/o PSNI Brooklyn, Knock Road in Belfast, faces charges of possessing a firearm and ammunition under suspicious circumstances; possessing an explosive substance, namely gunpowder, under suspicious circumstances; having ammunition without a certificate and without the authority of the Secretary of State as well as noncompliance with the storage of firearms, all alleged to have been committed on October 8th this year.
The officer, understood to have been suspended pending the outcome of the criminal proceedings, is also charged with the theft of ammunition of an unknown value “on a date until 7 October 2025,” in addition to an accusation of fraud by abuse of position and making or supplying articles for fraud on July 27th this year.
READ MORE
The fraud charges disclose allegations that Mr Rodgers made a Chubb security swipe card intended for the use in a fraud and also that he abused his position of trust by creating the “Chubb security card to gain access to armoury”, with the intent to make a gain for himself or to cause loss to the PSNI.
Giving evidence, a Detective Constable said he believed he could connect Rodgers to each of the charges.
When District Judge Mark Hamill asked what the background to the charges was, the officer told him it relates to the “alleged theft of ammunition from the Steeple complex”.
Mr Rodgers’ defence solicitor asked if the defendant could be excused from attending on the next date, or until there is “substantive progress in the case.”
While the prosecutor confirmed the resident judge would ordinarily excuse defendants who are in employment, Judge Hamill said his usual practice was for defendants who have been granted bail to appear on the next occasion “and then thereafter can be excused.”
Mr Rodgers was freed on his own bail of £500 with conditions that he does not contact any Crown witness, that he resides at his home address and the suspended officer is prohibited from being on any police premises.
The case was adjourned to February 10th.
