Image copyright EPA Image caption Major Trapero won plaudits for his handling of terror attacks in Barcelona and nearby last August, but was dismissed following the referendum

The former chief of Catalonia's police force, Josep Lluis Trapero, has been charged over events linked with last year's independence referendum.

He faces two Spanish counts of sedition and one of criminal organisation.

Other former regional officials were also charged by investigating judge Carmen Lamela. She accuses them of co-operating with an organised plan to seek Catalonia's secession.

Spain's constitutional court ruled the 1 October referendum illegal.

It is another setback for those who support the establishment of an independent state.

Many of the movement's most prominent figures face charges and some are in detention or the subject of arrest warrants.

The movement's former leader, Carles Puigdemont, is in a German jail while judicial authorities consider a Spanish extradition request.

The charges faced by the accused relate to events on 20 and 21 September, when crowds tried to obstruct Spanish police raiding devolved ministry buildings in a bid to prevent the referendum, and the 1 October referendum itself.

Judge Lamela alleged that Major Trapero's force adopted a passive stance to avoid taking action against the organisers of the independence drive and failed to respond to requests for help from the Civil Guard, who were acting on the Madrid government's orders.

In addition, she said, his force had leaked their action plans to those organising the referendum.

Two more members of the regional police and an official with the regional interior department were also charged with sedition - under Spanish law, preventing officers of the law from properly executing their duties.

The four accused are scheduled to testify before the judge on 16 April.</s>Conor McGregor has been charged with three counts of assault and one count of criminal mischief.

He presented himself at the 78th Precinct police station in Brooklyn last night and was taken into custody.

As most Irish people are not familiar with US law you may be wondering what criminal mischief actually means.

Criminal mischief is a crime governed by state laws, which vary by state. It generally involves any damage, defacing, alteration, or destruction of tangible property with criminal intent.

It can be a felony or it can be put down as a misdemeanour depending which degree it is.

Criminal mischief in the fourth degree is a class A misdemeanor.

USlegal.com states: "A person is guilty of criminal mischief in the third degree when, with intent to damage property of another person, and having no right to do so nor any reasonable ground to believe that he has such right, he damages property of another person in an amount exceeding two hundred fifty dollars.

"Criminal mischief in the third degree is a class E felony."

The website says: "A person is guilty of criminal mischief in the second degree when with intent to damage property of another person, and having no right to do so nor any reasonable ground to believe that he has such right, he damages property of another person in an amount exceeding one thousand five hundred dollars.

"Criminal mischief in the second degree is a class D felony."

The definition is: "A person is guilty of criminal mischief in the first degree when with intent to damage property of another person, and having no right to do so nor any reasonable ground to believe that he has such right, he damages property of another person by means of an explosive.

"Criminal mischief in the first degree is a class B felony."
Former major of the Mossos d'Esquadra Josep Lluís Trapero is charged with two counts of sedition and one of criminal organisation.