Former BBC Journalist Wins £20,000 Compensation for Unlawful Phone Data Collection
Compensation Awarded for Unlawful Surveillance
Background of the Case
LONDON, July 23 (Reuters) - Northern Ireland police and Britain's domestic intelligence agency MI5 were on Thursday ordered to pay compensation to a former BBC journalist for unlawfully obtaining his phone records.
Vincent Kearney, who now works for Irish broadcaster RTE, took legal action against the Police Service of Northern Ireland and MI5 based on disclosure from a separate case brought by two Belfast journalists who were put under surveillance.
Tribunal Ruling and Compensation Details
Investigatory Powers Tribunal Decision
The Investigatory Powers Tribunal in London awarded Kearney compensation of £10,000 ($13,326) each from the PSNI and MI5 for what it described as disproportionate interferences with Kearney's privacy rights and journalistic sources.
Reactions to the Ruling
Kearney and the BBC, which was a claimant alongside Kearney, welcomed the ruling.
Police Response and Policy Changes
PSNI Chief Constable's Statement
PSNI Chief Constable Jon Boutcher said in a statement that he accepted the ruling and apologised to Kearney. He added that "significant changes to practice and policy have already been made since these issues occurred".
Independent Review Findings
Boutcher previously commissioned an independent review which last year found that the PSNI used journalists' phone numbers to check for information leaks by officers or staff, but did not carry out "widespread or systemic" improper surveillance.
Currency Conversion
($1 = 0.7504 pounds)
Reporting Credits
(Reporting by Sam Tobin; editing by William James)
