Humberside Police has been fined £130,000 by the Information Commissioner’s Office after disks containing a video interview of an alleged rape victim, left in an envelope on an officer’s desk went missing. The three unencrypted disks and accompanying paperwork contained the victim’s personal details, details about the alleged crime and the suspect’s name and address. The envelope was due to be posted to Cleveland Police but never arrived. It is not known whether the package was actually sent. Two points made by the ICO relate to all employers: (i) all employees have a duty to stop and think whenever they handle personal data; and (ii) the case shows how crucial it is to keep a clear record of data that’s been sent, when and who to.

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