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More is known tonight about the flash drive, which was lost by a police officer attached to Special Branch. As we told you, the drive with thousands of files has found its way into civilian hands. The problem is that many of those files are sensitive – and tonight we know that as many of a hundred of them are what we would have to call "super-sensitive."

We have learned that the drive contains what are known as "source sheets" – these are documents that the Special Branch keeps to compile details of confidential informants.

Former special branch officers tell us that there are strict rules against having these on any portable memory device – and that they should only be hand delivered in hard copy to the head of special branch.

But that protocol was grossly breached in this case – and the file is now out there in civilian hands, un-encrypted.

Police are conducting an internal investigation and working externally to try and get back the flash drive – but the worry now is not so much about the drive but whether copies have been made. With the super sensitive nature of the information police are aware that in the wrong hands – the dissemination of the information could have very grave implications.