Lawyers representing survivors of abuse by Mohamed Al Fayed have warned that a data breach by the Metropolitan Police could further undermine their clients’ confidence in the force’s investigation and renewed their call for a public inquiry.
The Met inadvertently disclosed the email addresses of 143 people who had signed up for updates on Operation Cornpoppy, its investigation into those who may have facilitated Al Fayed’s alleged offending. The addresses were visible because recipients were copied into emails rather than blind-copied.
The breach occurred across five emails sent on Tuesday, 11th August. The Met referred itself to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) and apologised to those affected, saying the error was caused by human error and that immediate action was taken.
Leigh Day represents more than 50 women who allege they were sexually abused by Al Fayed and people associated with him, many in connection with his ownership of Harrods. Some affected clients had also complained to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) about the Met’s handling of their original reports.
Sean Humber, a data breach partner at Leigh Day, said: ‘This is a serious breach of data protection law, given the sensitivity of the information and the numbers affected. It is likely that the Met Police will now be facing a significant fine from the ICO. Separately, those affected are likely to have strong claims for compensation for the further anxiety and distress caused by the incident.’
The force said it understood the impact on victims, had contacted everyone affected directly and was reviewing its procedures to prevent a similar incident.
Human rights team partner at Leigh Day, Emma Jones said: ‘Yet again our clients have had to face another grave disappointment in relation to the Metropolitan Police’s handling of the investigation into the serious abuse they experienced in their connection with Mohamed Al Fayed.
‘Our clients believe this latest failure evidences the lack of care and respect being accorded to our clients during Operation Cornpoppy. There is an absolute necessity for a public inquiry into the whole scandal, including the Met police’s failure to investigate abuse allegations when they were first reported.’
The incident follows another reported data breach earlier this year, when the Met mistakenly sent the personal details and account of a woman who alleged she had been trafficked and raped by an associate of Al Fayed to another alleged victim in Australia.
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