Westminster honeytrap victims in Met Police data breach

The Metropolitan Police is expected to notation itself to the Information Commissioner aft accidentally sending an email which named alleged victims of the Westminster “honeytrap” scandal.

The unit is investigating flirtatious messages being sent by idiosyncratic calling themselves "Charlie" oregon "Abi" arsenic galore arsenic 20 radical including MPs, staffers and governmental journalists.

A detective sent imaginable victims an email updating them connected the case, but inadvertently copied successful each of those involved, revealing to the recipients their names and email addresses.

The Met is alert of the evident information breach and has been asked by the BBC for a response.

The email was sent connected Friday day to update 18 radical that the day a fishy would person to reply bail was being changed due to the fact that of a occurrence astatine Charing Cross constabulary station.

However, the sender, a detective sergeant successful the Met’s Diplomatic and Parliamentary Protection unit, included the recipients’ names successful the CC conception of the email, alternatively than BCC, which would person concealed their identities.

The BBC has seen the email, and volition not beryllium naming those included arsenic recipients, nevertheless they see members of parliament, governmental journalists and Commons staff.

A elder Met root accepted a information breach of this benignant would usually effect successful a referral to the Information Commissioner, who has the powerfulness to contented penalties oregon fines nether information extortion laws.

One of the alleged victims told the BBC: "It’s infuriating to person your idiosyncratic details released successful this way.

"It volition marque maine deliberation doubly astir reporting thing to the Met again."

A Labour staffer was arrested by constabulary connected suspicion of harassment and committing offences nether the Online Safety Act successful June this year.

Former Conservative MP William Wragg has spoken retired astir however helium was near suicidal aft feeling pressured into sharing others’ details.