"Tribunal rules force breached freelancer Gerard Gallacher’s human rights by accessing his communications data. Police Scotland has been ordered to pay a journalist £10,000 in damages after it illegally intercepted his communications data in an
“Tribunal rules force breached freelancer Gerard Gallacher’s human rights by accessing his communications data.
Police Scotland has been ordered to pay a journalist £10,000 in damages after it illegally intercepted his communications data in an investigation into a botched murder case.
The investigatory powers tribunal ruled the force had breached the human rights of Gerard Gallacher, a former police officer turned freelance journalist, who had spent 18 months investigating a cold murder case in which a prime suspect had been released without charge.
Gallacher said he suffered “invasion of privacy, familial strife, personal stress and strain and loss of long-standing friendships” after detectives accessed 32 days of his communications data, ignoring clear court rulings to protect journalists and their sources.”
See the article: Police Scotland told to pay journalist £10,000 over illegal intercepts (Guardian, link)