GMP has announced details of a data breach said to have affected thousands of people.

It has been reported that the names and addresses of complainants, witnesses and informants have been shared online, including victims of sexual abuse, who have a legal right to anonymity.

The incident occurred when personal data was uploaded as a ‘test’ by a contractor employed by GMP to develop software.  It is not clear why the personal data was used as part of the ‘test’.

GMP has confirmed that the information was immediately taken down once they were notified of the data breach.

Assistant Chief Constable Chris Sykes said: “We are aware of a possible data breach involving a limited dataset of personal information, which was used for testing purposes by our supplier.

“An internal investigation was immediately initiated and GMP proactively referred the matter to the Information Commissioners Office (ICO).

“In line with the ICO requirements GMP recorded the breach as soon as we became aware and gave a full description of the type of data involved.

“As well as informing the ICO our other priority was to contact our supplier to ensure the information was immediately taken down to make sure no further breaches were possible.”

GMP’s full statement can be found here.

The Deputy Mayor of Greater Manchester for policing, crime and criminal justice has requested an urgent update from GMP and has asked for reassurances that processes are now in place to prevent a similar data breach.

If you have concerns regarding your personal data, get in touch with our team for advice regarding a possible claim.