police and criminal justice data breach claims.

HELPING YOU TO CLAIM COMPENSATION FOR POLICE & CRIMINAL JUSTICE DATA BREACH VIOLATIONS

The criminal justice sector has access to a wide range of sensitive information about us. Not to mention technology such as the Police National Computer (PNC) and Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR). But all too often this data is not being looked after as well as it should.

Common breaches include wrongly releasing information to third parties, sending information to the wrong people, or even putting inappropriate things on social media.

As well as professional breaches due to a lack of care, individual police officers are regularly falling foul of data protection laws for accessing this information outside of lawful policing purposes. But, even where officers think that they are acting with the right intentions, there are strict rules about how such information can be accessed, and by ignoring these, officers are breaking the law and risking serious penalties.

In fact, the in an average year, the police federation receives about 2,500 criminal and misconduct allegations at the joint claims office (although there are more outside the national office) and spends around £17m on legal advice and representation for police in civil and criminal cases.

If you or a member of your family has suffered damage or distress caused by the police or another civil justice body breaching any part of the Data Protection Act, you have a right to claim compensation.

At Hayes Connor Solicitors, we’ve been helping people to do just that for over 50 years, so we know what it takes to make a successful central or local government data breach compensation claim.

Contact us today

POLICE & CRIMINAL JUSTICE DATA BREACHES

It is the job of the police to protect us, and in a digital society that also means protecting our data. However, all too often, our trust in those in authority with our personal information is being undermined. Where a breach in the criminal justice sector occurs, the ICO can respond with actions such as financial penalties and prosecutions.

In recent cases:

• Greater Manchester Police was fined £150,000 after three DVDs containing footage of interviews with victims of violent or sexual crimes got lost in the post
• Dyfed-Powys Police was fined after an email, containing information that could be used to identify eight sex offenders, was sent to a member of the public in error
• Kent Police was fined after sensitive personal details of a woman who accused her partner of domestic abuse were passed to the suspect
• Scotland Yard breached data protection laws to spy on one of its own officers while she was on sick leave
• The Ministry of Justice was fined £180,000 for “serious failings” in the handling of confidential data following the loss of a hard drive containing the details of almost 3,000 prisoners at Erlestoke prison in Wiltshire.

MAKING A CRIMINAL JUSTICE DATA BREACH CLAIM

At Hayes Connor, we can help you make claims against the police and other civil justice organisations already fined by the ICO.

You may not know that your data has been breached until you hear that the police force has been fined by the ICO. In such cases, it’s worth finding out whether your data was put at risk to see if you have a claim for compensation. We can also keep you updated on upcoming and current police data breach claim investigations.

We can make data breach claims against:

• Police forces
• Individual police officers
• The courts
• The Ministry of Justice

Of course, it goes without saying that our process is fully compliant with ICO guidance and we never put your details at risk. We will NEVER pass your details onto anyone without your permission.

Find out more about making a police or civil justice data breach compensation claim, or contact us today for a free initial assessment.

CIVIL JUSTICE DATA BREACH CLAIM SOLICITORS

Our professional, friendly team will advise you on whether you have a valid claim against a police force, police officer or other civil justice organisation. If you are not sure whether your sensitive information has been misused or mishandled, we can find this out for you.

If we believe you have a substantial, complex case, we may be able to act for you on a NO WIN, NO FEE basis. For smaller claims, our quick assessment form will help you to start your claim, quickly and easily. So you can be sure of receiving your compensation in the shortest possible time.

But we don’t expect you to take our word for it. Instead, you can read some of the lovely things our clients have said about us.

WHAT WILL WE CLAIM FOR?

To claim compensation in a civil justice or police data breach case, you must be able to prove that you suffered as a result of the breach. This includes financial harm (for example not being able to get a job because of the breach), physical harm and reputational damage, anguish and anxiety.

Until recently, a person who suffered damage might have had their compensation increased to take into account any associated distress, but in most cases, compensation would not have been awarded for distress alone. However, a recent ruling has paved the way for those affected by data breaches to claim for distress, even if they have not suffered any damages.

At Hayes Connor Solicitors we make sure you receive the maximum compensation possible in the shortest possible time.

CONTACT US AND START YOUR CIVIL JUSTICE OR POLICE DATA BREACH CLAIM TODAY

With strict time limits in place for making a data breach claim against a criminal justice body (currently all breaches going back six years could be subject to a claim) it’s important to act now.