The Investigatory Powers Tribunal found against the PSNI and Metropolitan Police in relation to a case brought by Barry McCaffrey and Trevor Birney.
“Freedom of the press is a cornerstone of democracy and something which cannot be compromised,” said Ms McAllister.
“Today is truly a dark day for policing in Northern Ireland. This entire episode has been one of shame for the PSNI, from the act of surveillance themselves to the utterly vague police report into the matter. Now we have today’s ruling, which has confirmed illegal actions were carried out by the force.
“It is significant the PSNI has been ordered to pay damages and I want to pay tribute to both journalists involved. Their actions and the actions of others have brought the PSNI and Met kicking and screaming to the truth. Police forces cannot hide behind difficult issues and need to be more accountable in admitting the truth, especially given it has been outlined how difficult that was in this case.
“The issue of alleged illegal surveillance needs to be examined further to investigate if or how widespread this utterly unacceptable practice was by the PSNI. It is crucial the McCullough Review into the matter is allowed to look at it as widely as possible, and as a Policing Board member, that’s why I supported it, with the possibility of that being a precursor into a possible inquiry.”