Five police forces which challenged a ruling that they should delete records on criminal convictions from their database have won their appeal. The court of appeal said convictions, however old and however minor, can be of value in the fight against crime. The court said that as a result the retention of that information should…
MPs investigate anti-extremism programme after spying claims
Vikram Dodd reports: A powerful committee of MPs is likely to hold a formal hearing into allegations that a government anti-extremism programme is being used to gather information on innocent Muslims. The home affairs select committee meets on Tuesday and will discuss widening its inquiry into the £140m Preventing Violent Extremism scheme, also known as…
Privacy law established by stealth in Britain, report says
Robert Verkaik reports: Britain has established a privacy law by stealth which has made inroads into all parts of society, a leading human rights law review shows today. The use of legal arguments based on the claimant’s right to a private life were once almost exclusively restricted to cases brought by celebrities against newspaper groups,…
Jury’s $1.8 million verdict a call for privacy rights
Ameet Sachdev reports: In the summer of 2005 Kathy Lawlor’s dad showed her a white envelope he retrieved from his neighbor’s garbage can, deposited there by a man Lawlor suspected had been following her. “Probe” was typed in the return address field. Next to it was a picture of an eye that looked to Lawlor…