Wednesday 28 October 2026Compiled from published reports. Every claim links to its source.

Ireland Crime

Every case followed from the first report to the sentence, or to where the reporting stopped.

Case No. 0069Breach of Official Secrets Act, breach of Data Protection Act, disclosing confidential information · Co. Dublin · 11 Jul 2025

Civil servant sent to Special Criminal Court over leaking sensitive information to hostile power

Yevgen McKeeffe, a 46-year-old Irish man originally from Ukraine, is accused of leaking sensitive State information to a hostile foreign power between July 11, 2025 and May 28, 2026. He was arrested at Dublin Airport on May 28, 2026 while attempting to leave the State, carrying €5,650 and a one-way ticket. He faces four charges including two breaches of the Official Secrets Act, a breach of the Data Protection Act, and disclosing confidential information from a government department. He was refused bail and remanded in continuing custody. In October 2026, he was sent forward for trial to the non-jury Special Criminal Court after the DPP certified that the ordinary courts were not suitable.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In court23 Oct
  5. Verdict
  6. Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
  • He is alleged to have met a contact to share confidential information with the potential of creating risk to the Irish State.
  • At the time of arrest he was carrying €5,650 and had a one-way ticket, with travel plans to Turkey.
  • He has lived in Ireland for 24 years, changed his name by deed poll, and has used four other name variations; he said he came to Ireland due to discrimination for being homosexual.
  • He held an Irish passport and two other non-Irish travel documents and had been in Ireland lawfully since 2002.
  • He had been in his latest job since 2022, having worked in another department for six years beforehand, and is suspended pending the outcome of the case.
Where
He was arrested at Dublin Airport while attempting to leave the State.
When
The alleged disclosures occurred between July 11, 2025 and May 28, 2026, and he was arrested on May 28, 2026.
Charges
He is accused of two breaches of the Official Secrets Act, breaching the Data Protection Act, and disclosing confidential information from a government department.
In court
  • He was refused bail and remanded in continuing custody.
  • The DPP issued a certificate stating the ordinary courts were not suitable, and he was sent forward for trial to the non-jury Special Criminal Court.
  • Legal aid covering a solicitor and three counsel was granted due to the complexity of the case.
Other details
Reporting restrictions prohibit reporting his Dublin address, the department in which he works, the other country involved, and the information allegedly disclosed.
16 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatHe was carrying €5,650 and had a one-way ticket at the time of arrest (irishtimes.com)
  • whatHe has lived in Ireland for 24 years and changed his name by deed poll (irishtimes.com)
  • whatHe had been in his latest job since 2022, having worked in another department for six years beforehand (irishtimes.com)
  • whatHe is suspended from work pending the outcome of the case (irishtimes.com)
  • whatIt was alleged he would meet his contact and share confidential information which had the potential of creating risk to the Irish State (irishtimes.com)
  • whatHe said he came to Ireland because he faced discrimination for being homosexual and had used four other variations of names (irishtimes.com)
  • whatHe held an Irish passport and two other non-Irish travel documents and had been in Ireland lawfully since 2002 (irishtimes.com)
  • whatDefence counsel said the accused had changed his name to a more Irish one and had ties to the State through his job, friends and a mortgage (irishtimes.com)
  • whenThe alleged disclosures occurred between July 11, 2025 and May 28, 2026 (irishtimes.com)
  • whenHe was arrested at Dublin Airport on May 28, 2026 while attempting to leave the State (irishtimes.com)
  • chargeHe is accused of two breaches of the Official Secrets Act, breaching the Data Protection Act, and disclosing confidential information from a government department (irishtimes.com)
  • courtMcKeeffe was sent forward for trial to the non-jury Special Criminal Court (irishtimes.com)
  • courtHe was refused bail at a previous stage and was remanded in continuing custody (irishtimes.com)
  • courtLegal aid covering a solicitor and three counsel was granted due to the complexity of the case (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe case resumed at Cloverhill District Court when McKeeffe was served with a book of evidence (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe DPP issued a certificate stating that the ordinary courts were not suitable for the administration of justice (irishtimes.com)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 23 Oct2026
    In courtirishtimes.com, first report
    Non-jury trial for civil servant accused of leaking sensitive information to hostile power

    Reports that McKeeffe was sent forward for trial to the Special Criminal Court, with details of his arrest at Dublin Airport, the DPP's certificate that ordinary courts were unsuitable, evidence of payments received, and his travel plans to Turkey.

    accused, Yevgen McKeeffe, 46, male, Irish, named, irishYevgen McKeeffe