PSNI data breach compensation cases begin at Belfast High Court
03/11/2025 | BBC News
The High Court in Belfast has begun hearing damages claims from six test cases selected from thousands of officers and staff affected by the major Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) personal data breach that occurred two years ago. The outcome is intended to act as a guide for all compensation settlements.
The PSNI has accepted liability for the breach, but the compensation process is proceeding through the courts because the force cannot currently fund an out-of-court universal offer. This is due to the government refusing a request for £119 million from Stormont's Department of Finance to cover the compensation bill. A lawyer for the claimants said: "The seriousness of the breach and the risks to individuals will be readily appreciated by the court."
In related news, the Irish News reports that the Northern Ireland Public Service Alliance (NIPSA) has warned that a strike by civilian PSNI staff over the failure to pay compensation for the breach could bring the force "to a complete stop." NIPSA is set to ballot its members, who have given a "clear endorsement" for industrial action.
NIPSA official Tracy Godfrey said that a strike would halt vital functions, including the closure of custody units, the suspension of forensic services and photography, and the likely collapse of internal communications. Godfrey warned that the Treasury had not realised the impact such widespread disruption would have on Northern Ireland, and urged them to "pay up."
Meanwhile, the High Court heard that a female officer feared dissident republican terrorists would carry out a drive-by shooting at her home.
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