Stop And Searches Treble In The North

Police tripled their use of stop-and-search in Northern Ireland last year, Policing Board figures have revealed.

In 2008/9, the PSNI used the anti-terror legislation almost 10,000 times, compared to 3,234 incidents in 2007/8.

Section 44 of the Terrorism Act, which allows police to act without reasonable suspicion, was last week ruled illegal by the European Court of Human Rights.

A NI Policing Board report has said it must not be seen as an easy alternative to traditional policing methods.

The rise in Section 44 searches in Northern Ireland followed an increase in dissident republican attacks.

The board's Human Rights Report, published on Thursday, said officers should be fully briefed about the extent of the power and how it is to be used.

"The Section 44 authorisation should never be viewed as an easy alternative to the Police and Criminal Evidence (Pace) power; police officers should resist the temptation to resort to Section 44 because he or she need not have reasonable grounds for suspicion," the report stated.