The High Court in Belfast has started hearing six test cases arising out of a massive data breach by the Police Service of Northern Ireland in 2023.
Names and service details (including ranks, grades, roles, duty types, departments and locations) of over 9,800 police officers and civilian staff were mistakenly posted to a freedom of information website and remained online for over two hours.
Several dissidents found to be in possession of the data have been charged with terrorism offences.
The PSNI has admitted liability for misuse of private information and breaches of data protection legislation in group litigation involving over 8,000 affected officers/staff as claimants.
The High Court will determine issues of causation of harm and quantum of damages in the six cases, which include claimants in sensitive policing roles who have suffered PTSD and other psychiatric injury because of the unlawful disclosure of their details into the public domain.
Gavin Millar KC represents four of the six test case claimants instructed by McCartan Turkington Breen Solicitors and Edwards and Co Solicitors.