Scots victims could be illegally compromised by £33m criminal justice IT system
dailyrecord.co.ukA £33 million criminal justice IT system could illegally compromise the personal data of thousands of Scots victims. Watchdogs have raised serious concerns about trials of the Digital Evidence Sharing Capability (DESC) service by Police Scotland and said the Crown Office could already have broken the law.
The system – bought by the Scottish Government from US firm Axon – allows witness statements, body-cam footage, fingerprints and other details to be uploaded and shared with other agencies.
But the Sunday Mail can reveal the Scottish Police Authority (SPA) and biometrics commissioner have given formal warnings over its legality and security.They have raised fears it could lead to class action lawsuits, hacking and the prospect of the US government snooping on citizens.Opposition politicians have demanded a halt to the roll-out until concerns are answered.Scottish Tory shadow justice secretary Russell Findlay said: “SNP ministers cannot press ahead with this system without seeking categorical assurances about the security of the highly sensitive and personal data of crime victims and witnesses.
It appears these concerns have already been flagged within Scottish policing, so it would be grossly irresponsible, and financially improper, to proceed without ensuring they are addressed.”Scottish Lib Dem justice spokesperson Liam McArthur said: “These documents raise real questions about why Police Scotland has pressed ahead with this scheme while the legal status is still up in the air.
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