A blundering police force disclosed the home address of a domestic abuse victim to the alleged perpetrator, it has emerged.
Staffordshire Police included the sensitive details in a Domestic Violence Protection Notice (DVPN), an emergency measure intended to protect victims from violent attacks.
The alleged abuser had not been aware of the victim’s address until being handed the document by police as they were released from jail, a watchdog said.
The force has now been reprimanded by the official privacy watchdog, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).
The victim had previously moved home on several occasions to escape the alleged abuse and the blunder caused them ‘serious distress’.
Head of investigations at the ICO, Sally-Anne Poole, said: ‘In this case, the very notice designed to protect them instead put them at risk and left them fearing that they would have to relocate their family once again.’
She added: ‘Data breaches of this kind are never just technical failures.
Staffordshire Police handed a domestic violence victim's home address to their alleged abuser in a document intended to protect them from violent attack
‘When someone comes forward as a victim of domestic abuse, they are placing their trust and their safety in the hands of the police.
‘What might seem like a simple error, such as including an address in a document that didn't need it, can expose someone to real and immediate danger.’
The incident occurred in March 2024 but details have only just emerged following an ICO investigation.
The watchdog found that Staffordshire Police failed to have appropriate measures in place to prevent an unauthorised disclosure, including poor completion rates for mandatory training in data protection and issuing DVPNs.
The ICO said the force has since made ‘a number of improvements to reduce the risk of similar incidents happening in the future’.
Ms Poole said: ‘This case is a reminder that getting the basics right is not optional.
‘Every organisation must be doing everything necessary to protect the personal information in their care, especially where there is a known risk to someone's safety.’
Deputy Chief Constable of Staffordshire Police Caroline Marsh said: 'We fully recognise the impact this incident had on the victim and sincerely regret the distress and disruption this caused. We remain committed to learning from this case.
'Over the last 18 months, we have strengthened leadership and governance arrangements.
'The incident has reinforced the need to balance robust safeguarding action against perpetrators with the careful protection of victim information.'
She added: 'Protecting vulnerable victims remains an absolute priority.
'We are committed to continually improving our service, learning from incidents when they occur and ensuring victims receive the support, protection and confidence they deserve when they come forward and report abuse.'