PSNI data breach staff offered £7500 universal compensation

Police Service of Northern Ireland personnel affected by the 2023 personal data breach, involving the accidental disclosure of personal details belonging to all 9,400 officers and civilian staff, have been offered a universal compensation payment of £7,500 each. The Police Federation has described the offer as substantial progress, noting that it will allow many individuals to settle their claims and move on.

While the offer follows the allocation of £119 million by Stormont for damages, it is not considered a one-size-fits-all solution. Legal representatives have indicated that the flat fee may not be suitable for exceptional cases where individuals with identifiable names were left particularly vulnerable or suffered severe distress. These claimants may choose to continue with ongoing group legal actions in the High Court. 

However, to add insult to injury, the PSNI confirmed that some officers involved in the 2023 breach have had their names published on the NI Courts website. Following the discovery of latest incident, the Department of Justice (DoJ) clarified that it took immediate action and removed the online public court list.

In response to the latest development, the First Minister of Northern Ireland, Michelle O'Neill, expressed her concerns, stating that: "This is the day when we're actually responding to the previous data breach.

"The details are still to be unfolded in terms of how it has happened, but the PSNI need to fulfil their responsibilities in terms of the police officers that serve, that they ensure that their information is protected, that they do everything to support those officers who serve.

"We cannot be in another situation where we have to find money out of public funds to rectify a mistake that was made with PSNI data."

Speaking at a meeting of the Northern Ireland Policing Board on Thursday, PSNI Chief Constable Jon Boutcher clarified that publishing police officers' names on a court list was not a new data breach or a failure by PSNI or the courts service. He explained that including names is standard in legal proceedings unless a specific anonymity order is requested through the court. However, he recognised that the officers involved in these specific proceedings were entitled to anonymity and thanked court officials for resolving the issue quickly. 

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