Police Evidence for sale to the highest bidder

[Gromit]

In the matter of a week it has been revealed that: the police sold names and addresses to Accident Claims Companies of accident victims.

And now,
// Andy Coulson, who edited Rupert Murdoch’s News of the World tabloid from 2003 to 2006, condoned payments from members of his staff at the News of the World to Scotland Yard, according to e-mails the company has handed over to the police. //
http://www.vanityfair...the-world-update.html

Surely this must be illegal? If not, it should be?
Any information we supply to the police should be confidential if the public are to trust them. How has this happened?

[jackthehat]

I would be hesitant to say that 'The Police' sold these details.......it appears that Police Officers certainly have been involved.

[Gromit]

// Police forces are making millions of pounds by 'selling’ details of cars involved in accidents to breakdown firms, it has emerged. //
http://www.telegraph....-breakdown-firms.html

// News international has uncovered e-mails that indicate payments were made to the police by the News of the World, during the editorship from 2003-7 of Andy Coulson. //
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-14039915

[BertiWooster]

Ah ! - Andy Coulson - this is the chappy who vehemently denied any knowledge of wrong doing at the NOTW ( his protestations of which were frankly unbeleivable )

Lying *********

[anotheoldgit]

One should read the whole article, not just the headlines.

Taken from the Telegraph link,

/// “The position of the police service is clear. We do not sell the details of people involved in road traffic collisions to compensation lawyers.///

/// “The police service works within the Data Protection Act and any officers or members of staff that fail to comply with the Act commits a disciplinary and criminal offence that will be investigated. ///