Officer testifies to contemplating suicide following PSNI data breach

Another police officer, known as MTB402, has testified at the High Court in Belfast concerning the significant impact caused by the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) personal data breach in 2023, which resulted in the accidental release of his personal details, along with those of almost 10,000 fellow officers, in response to a Freedom of Information request. 

The court heard that the officer now lives in a “CCTV prison camp,” having spent £2,500 on an advanced security system due to fears that dissident republican terrorists had obtained his name and unit details. The data breach has severely affected his mental health, leading to sleep disturbances and feelings of inadequacy as a father. During his testimony, MTB402 described the shock and anger he felt upon learning of the data breach, which compromised all his efforts to safeguard his identity and his family's safety. He recounted contemplating suicide at one point after grappling with the distress of his situation. The officer’s emotional turmoil was evident as he reflected on the consequences of the breach and his frustration with what he perceived as a careless error.

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