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Data Protection Registrar v Amnesty International (British Section): Admn 8 Nov 1994

The defendants had been charged with recklessly holding and then disclosing information about named individuals. It had exchanged a list of potential addressee’s for use in mailing lists with another charity. Held: Recklessness is defined by reference to the defendant’s foresight of the consequences as listed in the section, rather than the degree of harm … Continue reading Data Protection Registrar v Amnesty International (British Section): Admn 8 Nov 1994

Equifax Europe Ltd v Data Protection Registrar: IT 28 Jun 1991

Equifax, a credit reference agency, appealed an enforcement notice relating to its provision to those making searches, of ‘third party information’ relating not to the subject of the search, the applicant for credit, but to persons who had lived at the same address as the applicant for credit. The enforcement notice prohibited that supply. One … Continue reading Equifax Europe Ltd v Data Protection Registrar: IT 28 Jun 1991

P v Wozencroft (Expert Evidence: Data Protection): FD 2002

The court discussed the discretion given under the section: ‘I remind myself, however, that under s 7(9) the claimant would have had to establish that the defendant had failed to comply with a request for disclosure in contravention of s 7(1), and, importantly, that, even in that event, the subsection confers upon the court a … Continue reading P v Wozencroft (Expert Evidence: Data Protection): FD 2002

Malone v The United Kingdom: ECHR 2 Aug 1984

COURT (PLENARY) The complainant asserted that his telephone conversation had been tapped on the authority of a warrant signed by the Secretary of State, but that there was no system to supervise such warrants, and that it was not therefore in ‘accordance with law’. The taps were based on a non-binding and unpublished directive from … Continue reading Malone v The United Kingdom: ECHR 2 Aug 1984

Acts

1267 – 1278 – 1285 – 1297 – 1361 – 1449 – 1491 – 1533 – 1677 – 1688 – 1689 – 1700 – 1706 – 1710 – 1730 – 1737 – 1738 – 1751 – 1774 – 1792 – 1793 – 1804 – 1814 – 1819 – 1824 – 1828 – 1831 – 1832 … Continue reading Acts

Lord Ashcroft v Attorney General and Department for International Development: QBD 31 May 2002

The claimant was the subject of confidential reports prepared by the defendants which were leaked to newspapers causing him damage. He sought leave to amend his claim to add claims for breach of the Data Protection Act and for public misfeasance. Under the Civil Procedure Rules a new claim should be allowed if it is … Continue reading Lord Ashcroft v Attorney General and Department for International Development: QBD 31 May 2002

Regina v Brown: CACD 28 May 1993

A police officer misused his position to access records held on a police computer. Held: Merely accessing computer data by viewing it was not ‘use’ within the Act, and this particular offence was not established. The word ‘use’ must be given its ordinary meaning, which required something more. The court certified a question of law … Continue reading Regina v Brown: CACD 28 May 1993

Lloyd v Jagpal and Another: ChD 21 Jul 2009

The claimant said that the defendant had, when transferring matters to a new phone bought from his employer the second defendant, taken copies of images which had been sold on to newspapers. The second defendant now sought summary dismissal of the claim against it saying that it was not vicariously liable for his torts. Held: … Continue reading Lloyd v Jagpal and Another: ChD 21 Jul 2009

Information Commissioner (Decision Notice): ICO 25 Apr 2013

The complainant has requested information on the number of complaints being processed under the Data Protection Act 1984 (DPA84) which are still being investigated by the ICO. The ICO informed the complainant that it did not hold any recorded information to answer the request but that the answer to the question was that no individuals … Continue reading Information Commissioner (Decision Notice): ICO 25 Apr 2013

Regina v Brown (Gregory): HL 9 Feb 1996

The issue was whether ‘data’ within the Data Protection Act 1984 was limited to data in computer-readable form. Held: The offence of the ‘use’ of protected data required something beyond inspection on a computer screen including printout. There is a tension at inter-state level between the need to protect privacy, and the need for free … Continue reading Regina v Brown (Gregory): HL 9 Feb 1996

Pelling v Families Need Fathers Ltd: CA 1 Aug 2001

The claimant, a member of the company, a charitable company limited by guarantee, sought a list of the company’s members. This was refused, and the court used a discretion not to order the list to be produced. The applicant sought to lead a group intending to remove the present board of directors. He appealed on … Continue reading Pelling v Families Need Fathers Ltd: CA 1 Aug 2001

Director of Public Prosecutions v Bignall: Admn 16 May 1997

The defendant police officers had obtained information from the Police National Computer, but had used it for improper purposes. Held: The prosecution should have taken place under the 1990 Act as unauthorised access, and had not been used under the 1984 Act. Judges: Lord Justice Pill And Mr Justice Astill Citations: [1997] EWHC Admin 476, … Continue reading Director of Public Prosecutions v Bignall: Admn 16 May 1997

Dubai Aluminium Co Ltd v Al Alawi and Others: ComC 3 Dec 1998

The claimants had brought proceedings against their former sales manager for accepting bribes and secret commission from outsiders. In support of their claim the claimants had obtained a search and seizure order and a worldwide freezing injunction, apparently using their agents to impersonate the defendant in order to discover information about his Swiss bank accounts. … Continue reading Dubai Aluminium Co Ltd v Al Alawi and Others: ComC 3 Dec 1998

Regina v Chief Constables of C and D, Ex Parte A: QBD 7 Nov 2000

The passing of sensitive personal information between one police force and another was not a decision subject to obligations which made it subject to judicial review. Information falling short of convictions could properly be passed, and information passed between police forces rather than between police forces and other authorities was subject to lesser controls. There … Continue reading Regina v Chief Constables of C and D, Ex Parte A: QBD 7 Nov 2000

Regina v Fellows, Arnold: CACD 27 Sep 1996

Computer based digital images are ‘copies of a photograph’ sufficient for the Act, and so possession of digital entities capable of being transformed into images were such photographs. Making a file available for download, was sufficient to amount to distribution or publication of them. Times 03-Oct-1996, [1996] EWCA Crim 825 Protection of Children Act 1978, … Continue reading Regina v Fellows, Arnold: CACD 27 Sep 1996

Information Commissioner v Islington London Borough Council: Admn 24 May 2002

The commissioner appealed a dismissal of her case against a council, complaining that the council knowingly or recklessly used personal data for the collection of council tax, for which registration had expired. Held: It was not necessary to show that the individual officer making use of the data had been aware of the breach. The … Continue reading Information Commissioner v Islington London Borough Council: Admn 24 May 2002

Durant v Financial Services Authority: CA 8 Dec 2003

The appellant had been unsuccessful in litigation against his former bank. The Financial Services Authority had subsequently investigated his complaint against the bank. Using section 7 of the Data Protection Act 1998, he requested disclosure of his personal data held by the bank. The Financial Services Authority disclosed some copies of documents relating to the … Continue reading Durant v Financial Services Authority: CA 8 Dec 2003

Elliott v Chief Constable of Wiltshire and Others: ChD 20 Nov 1996

Vice-Chancellor was asked to consider whether to strike out a statement of claim based upon alleged misfeasance by a police officer in his public office. The allegation against the police officer was that he had deliberately and falsely supplied details of convictions to the press. The point taken was that it was not concerned with … Continue reading Elliott v Chief Constable of Wiltshire and Others: ChD 20 Nov 1996

Reynolds v Times Newspapers Ltd and others: HL 28 Oct 1999

Fair Coment on Political Activities The defendant newspaper had published articles wrongly accusing the claimant, the former Prime Minister of Ireland of duplicity. The paper now appealed, saying that it should have had available to it a defence of qualified privilege because of the claimant’s status as a politician. Held: The appeal failed (Lords Hope … Continue reading Reynolds v Times Newspapers Ltd and others: HL 28 Oct 1999

Bhatti and Others v Regina: CACD 30 Jul 2015

The defendants appealed against their convictions for conspiracy to facilitate breaches of immigration law, saying that they had been based on evidence obtained by the police from credit reference agencies in breach of their rights under the 1984 Act. Held: The appeals failed. The defendants had expressly agreed in their credit applications and finance agreements … Continue reading Bhatti and Others v Regina: CACD 30 Jul 2015

D Midgley and Sons Ltd and Another v Revenue and Customs: FTTTx 17 Mar 2011

Appeal against Information Notices issued under Schedule 36 of Finance Act 2008 – whether the information was reasonably required – whether Data Protection Act 1998 applies- whether Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 applies – whether information required is unreasonable and onerous – appeal dismissed Citations: [2011] UKFTT 187 (TC) Links: Bailii Jurisdiction: England and … Continue reading D Midgley and Sons Ltd and Another v Revenue and Customs: FTTTx 17 Mar 2011

Regina (on the application of S) v Chief Constable of South Yorkshire Police, Regina (Marper) v Same: CA 12 Sep 2002

The applicants had been charged with offences, but later acquitted. On arrest they had had DNA samples and fingerprints taken, and the details added to the national DNA database. The police refused to remove the records after the acquittals. Held: The appeals failed. The refusal to remove the records was not an infringement of a … Continue reading Regina (on the application of S) v Chief Constable of South Yorkshire Police, Regina (Marper) v Same: CA 12 Sep 2002

Kugathas v Secretary of State for the Home Department: CA 21 Jan 2003

Sedley LJ considered the circumstances where the Secretary of state should take into account the defendant’s article 8 human rights when considering deportation after serving a sentence of imprisonment: ‘Generally, the protection of family life under Article 8 involves cohabiting dependants, such as parents and their dependant minor children. Whether it extends to other relationships … Continue reading Kugathas v Secretary of State for the Home Department: CA 21 Jan 2003

Navitaire Inc v Easyjet Airline Co and Another: ChD 30 Jul 2004

The claimant alleged infringement of its copyright in a software system which dealt with airline reservations. It was not said that any code had been copied, but merely that an express requirement of the defendant ordering the system was that it should appear similar to the claimant’s system; it should have its look and feel. … Continue reading Navitaire Inc v Easyjet Airline Co and Another: ChD 30 Jul 2004

Wainwright and another v Home Office: HL 16 Oct 2003

The claimant and her son sought to visit her other son in Leeds Prison. He was suspected of involvement in drugs, and therefore she was subjected to strip searches. There was no statutory support for the search. The son’s penis had been touched which was a battery. Held: The policy considerations which limit the heads … Continue reading Wainwright and another v Home Office: HL 16 Oct 2003

Regina v Department of Health, Ex Parte Source Informatics Ltd: CA 21 Dec 1999

Where information was given by a patient to the pharmacist, and he took the data, stripping out any possibility of the individual being identified, the duty of confidence which attached to the prescription was not breached by the passing on of the reduced quantity information to a third party who wished to provide a statistical … Continue reading Regina v Department of Health, Ex Parte Source Informatics Ltd: CA 21 Dec 1999

Regina v Marcus: CACD 23 Nov 2004

The defendant appealed his conviction saying that the video identification procedures used had been unfair. He was alleged to have carried out robberies at knife point of people who had just visited cash machines. The defendant had been given the opportunity to select other faces from a database 19,000 images, but only one had the … Continue reading Regina v Marcus: CACD 23 Nov 2004

X (Minors) v Bedfordshire County Council; M (A Minor) and Another v Newham London Borough Council; Etc: HL 29 Jun 1995

Liability in Damages on Statute Breach to be Clear Damages were to be awarded against a Local Authority for breach of statutory duty in a care case only if the statute was clear that damages were capable of being awarded. in the ordinary case a breach of statutory duty does not, by itself, give rise … Continue reading X (Minors) v Bedfordshire County Council; M (A Minor) and Another v Newham London Borough Council; Etc: HL 29 Jun 1995

Gallagher for Judicial Review (NI): SC 30 Jan 2019

Each appellant complained of the disclosure by the respondent of very old and minor offences to potential employers, destroying prospects of finding work. Two statutory schemes were challenged, raising two separate questions, namely whether any interference with Article 8 ECHR is: (1) ‘in accordance with the law’ (‘the legality test’) and (2) ‘necessary in a … Continue reading Gallagher for Judicial Review (NI): SC 30 Jan 2019

Chief Constable of Humberside Police and Others v The Information Commissioner and Another: CA 19 Oct 2009

Complaints had been made that the police were not deleting from their criminal records very old records of minor convictions. The police appealed against a finding that they should do so under Data Protection Principles. The Police had used a policy agreed with the Respondent, but had withdrawn it following the Bichard inquiry, and replaced … Continue reading Chief Constable of Humberside Police and Others v The Information Commissioner and Another: CA 19 Oct 2009

Regina (Daly) v Secretary of State for the Home Department: HL 23 May 2001

A prison policy requiring prisoners not to be present when their property was searched and their mail was examined was unlawful. The policy had been introduced after failures in search procedures where officers had been intimidated by the presence of prisoners. Particularly when examining documents subject to legal professional privilege, the rules did not allow … Continue reading Regina (Daly) v Secretary of State for the Home Department: HL 23 May 2001

Wood v Commissioner of Police for the Metropolis: CA 21 May 2009

The appellant had been ostentatiously photographed by the police as he left a company general meeting. He was a peaceful and lawful objector to the Arms Trade. He appealed against refusal of an order for the records to be destroyed. The police had refused to disclose elements of their policies for overt photography. Held: The … Continue reading Wood v Commissioner of Police for the Metropolis: CA 21 May 2009

Bank Mellat v Her Majesty’s Treasury (No 2): SC 19 Jun 2013

The bank challenged measures taken by HM Treasury to restrict access to the United Kingdom’s financial markets by a major Iranian commercial bank, Bank Mellat, on the account of its alleged connection with Iran’s nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programmes. The bank sought to have the direction given under section 7 of the 2008 Act. … Continue reading Bank Mellat v Her Majesty’s Treasury (No 2): SC 19 Jun 2013

John v Rees and Others; Martin and Another v Davis and Others: ChD 1969

The Court was asked as to the validity of proceedings at a meeting of the members of the local Labour Party which had broken up in disorder. The proceedings were instituted by the leader of one faction on behalf of himself and all other members of the local Labour party other than the three individual … Continue reading John v Rees and Others; Martin and Another v Davis and Others: ChD 1969

American Cyanamid Co v Ethicon Ltd: HL 5 Feb 1975

Interim Injunctions in Patents Cases The plaintiffs brought proceedings for infringement of their patent. The proceedings were defended. The plaintiffs obtained an interim injunction to prevent the defendants infringing their patent, but they now appealed its discharge by the Court of Appeal. Held: The questions which applied when looking for an interim injunction in patent … Continue reading American Cyanamid Co v Ethicon Ltd: HL 5 Feb 1975

Axon, Regina (on the Application of) v Secretary of State for Health and Another: Admn 23 Jan 2006

A mother sought to challenge guidelines issued by the respondent which would allow doctors to protect the confidentiality of women under 16 who came to them for assistance even though the sexual activities they might engage in would be unlawful. Held: A person under 16 who was otherwise competent was entitled to seek medical assistance, … Continue reading Axon, Regina (on the Application of) v Secretary of State for Health and Another: Admn 23 Jan 2006

L v L and Hughes Fowler Carruthers: QBD 1 Feb 2007

The parties were engaged in ancillary relief proceedings. The Husband complained that the wife had sought to use unlawfully obtained information, and in these proceedings sought delivery up of the material from the wife and her solicitors. He said that the information was subject to professional legal privilege and was otherwise confidential. They had admitted … Continue reading L v L and Hughes Fowler Carruthers: QBD 1 Feb 2007

London Borough of Lewisham v D and Others: FD 29 Mar 2010

The local authority was investigating allegations involving the family history of children in their care. They sought disclosure by the respondent police authority of the results DNA comparison tests to assist their investigations. The court considered whether a matching report on a DNA sample itself was derived from the sample. Held: Disclosure could not be … Continue reading London Borough of Lewisham v D and Others: FD 29 Mar 2010

Douglas and others v Hello! Ltd and others; similar: HL 2 May 2007

In Douglas, the claimants said that the defendants had interfered with their contract to provide exclusive photographs of their wedding to a competing magazine, by arranging for a third party to infiltrate and take and sell unauthorised photographs. In OBG, the defendants acted as receivers under an invalid charge, and were accused of unlawful interference … Continue reading Douglas and others v Hello! Ltd and others; similar: HL 2 May 2007

Beghal v Director of Public Prosecutions: SC 22 Jul 2015

Questions on Entry must be answered B was questioned at an airport under Schedule 7 to the 2000 Act, and required to answer questions asked by appropriate officers for the purpose set out. She refused to answer and was convicted of that refusal , contrary to paragraph 18 of that Schedule. She appealed, saying that … Continue reading Beghal v Director of Public Prosecutions: SC 22 Jul 2015

Faccenda Chicken Ltd v Fowler: CA 1986

Nature of Confidentiality in Information The appellant plaintiff company had employed the defendant as sales manager. The contract of employment made no provision restricting use of confidential information. He left to set up in competition. The company now sought to prevent him using confidential information for this purpose. Held: The information and the advantage flowing … Continue reading Faccenda Chicken Ltd v Fowler: CA 1986

Douglas and others v Hello! Ltd and others (No 3): CA 18 May 2005

The principal claimants sold the rights to take photographs of their wedding to a co-claimant magazine (OK). Persons acting on behalf of the defendants took unauthorised photographs which the defendants published. The claimants had retained joint copyright over the photographs and reserved a right to control publication of any particular photographs. In return they made … Continue reading Douglas and others v Hello! Ltd and others (No 3): CA 18 May 2005

Regina v Commissioner of Police for The Metropolis, ex parte Rottman: HL 16 May 2002

The defendant had been arrested under an extradition warrant issued under the Act. The police had searched his premises, and found further evidence which was used to support the application for extradition. He challenged the collection and admission of the evidence which was outside the scope of the 1984 Act. Held: The 1984 Act did … Continue reading Regina v Commissioner of Police for The Metropolis, ex parte Rottman: HL 16 May 2002

Marper v United Kingdom; S v United Kingdom: ECHR 4 Dec 2008

(Grand Chamber) The applicants complained that on being arrested on suspicion of offences, samples of their DNA had been taken, but then despite being released without conviction, the samples had retained on the Police database. Held: (Unanimous) The retention was unlawful. Though other member states retained some DNA samples in certain conditions, the UK was … Continue reading Marper v United Kingdom; S v United Kingdom: ECHR 4 Dec 2008

General Dental Council v Savery and Others: Admn 16 Nov 2011

Complaints had been made against certain dentists. Their patients object that they had not been asked about disclosure of their medical records to the tribunals hearing the fitness to practice cases. Held: The GDC was under no obligation to seek such consent. The obligations to keep medical records confidential was strong, but the intened disclosure … Continue reading General Dental Council v Savery and Others: Admn 16 Nov 2011

NT 1 and NT 2 v Google Llc: QBD 13 Apr 2018

Right to be Forgotten is not absolute The two claimants separately had criminal convictions from years before. They objected to the defendant indexing third party web pages which included personal data in the form of information about those convictions, which were now spent. The claims were in Data Protection and the common law tort of … Continue reading NT 1 and NT 2 v Google Llc: QBD 13 Apr 2018

law-bytes

Please note (June 2010: that these law-bytes will soon (but not very soon and slowly) be re-organised, and re-posted within the main swarb.co.uk law-blog. This will allow much more powerful crosslinking for users between the various pages. All the existing pages will be left in place, but only the replacements will be updated. Eventually all … Continue reading law-bytes

law index

Our law-index is a substantial selection from our database. Cases here are restricted in number by date and lack the additional facilities formerly available within lawindexpro. Please do enjoy this free version of the lawindex. Case law does not ‘belong’ to lawyers. Judgments are made up of words which can be read and understood (if … Continue reading law index