Parents Devastated by Data Breach of Southport Attack Victim Files

The parents of a child injured in the Southport attack have expressed devastation following the unauthorized access of court files containing sensitive information about victims, their families, and survivors. The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) confirmed that an urgent investigation has been initiated into the data breach.

This incident follows a previous inquiry into whether staff at the North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) had inappropriately accessed victims' records. The parents of one of the injured children stated, "Our family has once again been devastated by two data breaches that involve our daughter, NWAS and now the MoJ." They emphasized the need for accountability, stating, "This culture of snooping across agencies and services must end and that will only happen if those individuals are held to account and not protected by the very confidentiality laws they flouted to access our daughter's information."

The family expressed their exhaustion with apologies and offers for meetings, which they feel have amounted to nothing. "It is not acceptable any more to continue to heap more risk and stress on to our family and the other families affected," they added, fearing the information could be used for profit.

Nicola Ryan-Donnelly, a partner at Fletchers Solicitors representing 22 of the 23 surviving children, called for an independent government investigation to address what she described as a "grim, voyeuristic culture." She criticized public bodies for disclosing breaches only as media pressure mounts, stating, "These families have suffered enough trauma, they need transparency and accountability now."

It is understood that court staff accessed the files without approval, and the breach was discovered during a digital systems review. The accessed data is considered to pose a high risk to the rights and freedoms of the individuals involved. While there is no evidence of the data being shared with third parties, the incident has been reported to the Information Commissioner's Office.

A spokesperson for the MoJ stated, "We are appalled that this happened and recognise the distress it will have caused victims, survivors, and their families. We apologise to those affected – unauthorised access to court files is completely unacceptable." The Prime Minister has tasked the Lord Chancellor with overseeing the urgent investigation, with assurances that "all wrongdoing will be met with extremely firm action."

The Prisons and Probation Service and the Courts and Tribunals Service are conducting the investigation, and affected individuals are being directly notified.

Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine; Bebe King, six; and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, were killed in the attack at a dance class in Southport on July 29, 2024.