Claims by officers and civilian staff following a major PSNI data breach will be managed in a “swift” manner following a High Court order being granted, it has been suggested.
Following the granting of a Group Litigation Order (GLO), thousands of claims by those impacted by last year’s data breach can now be dealt with, the law firm appointed by the High Court as one of the order’s managers has said.
The surnames and initials of almost 10,000 officers and PSNI staff were leaked last August after being mistakenly published online.
The breach was one of several controversies that prompted the resignation of former PSNI Chief Constable Simon Byrne.
In December, Assistant Chief Constable Chris Todd said individual litigation claims resulting from the breach could cost the force up to £180m.
A draft GLO had previously been agreed in January, and Philip Gordon, partner with managing law firm Edwards & Co, said: “This is an important ruling from the High Court. It will cover more than 6,000 cases being brought against the chief constable as a result of the unprecedented data breach.
“The order will be capable of delivering effective and swift management of the claims included in the GLO. All other cases are stayed until the GLO litigation has concluded.
“This is good news for the officers and civilians we represent and indicates measurable progress in the case. We will be back in the High Court on April 26 for a review hearing and the court has already indicated to the parties that, if possible, they should work towards a full hearing on liability in June.”
He added: “Each claim will still have to be considered individually in terms of the appropriate damages, taking into account that each plaintiff will have been affected differently. It may take some time after a liability hearing to deal with each individual case, but we are committed to getting every client the best possible result.”
