Home Office: 150,000 fingerprint, DNA and arrest history records accidentally deleted
Priti Patel is facing a backlash after the Home Office accidentally lost 150,000 fingerprint, DNA and arrest history records.
The mistake on the Police National Computer (PNC) may mean that offenders could go free due to evidence not being flagged in connection to fingerprints or DNA, according to multiple reports.
The PNC reportedly suffered an accidental ‘glitch’, which occurred during a weekly shedding of unnecessary data.
The Home Office said that the issue had been “resolved” but it was working with police to “assess its impact”.
Shadow Home Secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds said: “This is an extraordinarily serious security breach and the public deserves immediate answers.
“The Home Secretary must take responsibility for this serious problem. She must – urgently – make a statement about what has gone wrong, the extent of the issue, and what action is being taken to reassure the public. Answers must be given.”
The Home Office said that the data belonged to those arrested and released without further action.