Met Police Apologizes After Email Breach Exposes 140 Al Fayed Victims, Refers Itself to ICO
Updated
Updated · bbc.co.uk · Aug 15
Met Police Apologizes After Email Breach Exposes 140 Al Fayed Victims, Refers Itself to ICO
3 articles · Updated · bbc.co.uk · Aug 15
Summary
Around 140 women linked to the Mohamed Al Fayed investigation had their email addresses exposed when the Metropolitan Police sent a victim update without blind-copying recipients on Aug. 11.
The force said human error caused the breach, contacted those affected the same day, apologized, and referred itself to the Information Commissioner's Office while reviewing safeguards and alternative update methods.
That email also said police had interviewed three more suspects in their 70s and 80s under caution, taking the total questioned in Operation Cornpoppy to seven.
Joanna Brittan said her address was disclosed to 42 other survivors and called the incident "deeply re abusive," while survivor advocate Jasvinder Sanghera said women felt violated and already lacked confidence in the inquiry.
The disclosure adds pressure on the Met after the ICO reprimanded it on Aug. 5 over unrelated breaches, citing serious and ongoing shortcomings in data-protection training and handling of sensitive personal data.