Council worker sentenced for accessing sensitive information

A Herefordshire council employee who unlawfully viewed hundreds of sensitive records – including those of family members and children – has been handed a suspended prison sentence following an Information Commissioner’s Office investigation.

Geoffrey Smith, 31, from Ledbury, pleaded guilty in May to an offence under the Computer Misuse Act 1990 after concerns were raised by colleagues about potential unauthorised access to a referral case.

An internal investigation at Herefordshire Council, where Smith worked in the Children and Young People directorate, uncovered that over just four days he had improperly accessed approximately 490 records and downloaded 94 documents. The files contained highly confidential material including medical histories, social worker reports, and child and family assessments.

The records belonged not only to family members but also to other individuals known to Smith, spanning both children and adults.

Appearing at Worcester Magistrates’ Court on 17th July, Smith was sentenced to two months’ imprisonment, suspended for 12 months. He was also ordered to complete 120 hours of unpaid work, pay £2,000 in costs, and a victim surcharge of £154.

The case serves as a stark reminder of the serious consequences facing public sector employees who abuse their access to sensitive information. The ICO has consistently warned that unauthorised access to personal data, particularly when it involves vulnerable individuals such as children, will be treated with the utmost seriousness.

A spokesperson for Herefordshire Council confirmed that the matter was dealt with internally as soon as concerns were raised, and that safeguarding procedures were followed throughout. The authority has declined to comment further while proceedings are concluded.

Andy Curry, ICO Head of Investigations, said: ‘Smith abused his position as an employee and used his access to Herefordshire Council’s systems to view the personal information of people known to him, without any legitimate reason to do so.

‘The sensitive nature of the records held within a Children and Young People directorate, and Smith’s systematic misuse of that information, makes this particularly serious. People have a right to expect that their personal information is kept safe, and that those with access to it will only use it for the purposes for which it was intended.

‘We will always take action to protect the public from those who misuse their access to sensitive information.’