Met Police Faces Backlash for Revealing 19 Westminster Honeytrap Victims, Including 10 MPs

Nov 29, 2024, 04:59 PM

The Metropolitan Police has come under scrutiny after accidentally revealing the identities of alleged victims in the Westminster 'honeytrap' scandal. An email sent by the Met Police included the names of 19 victims, including 10 current and former MPs, and eight others, in the CC field rather than using the BCC function. The email was quickly recalled and resent with the proper protocol, but the breach has raised serious concerns about data protection practices. The Met Police is expected to refer itself to the Information Commissioner over the incident. The victims, who had previously reported being contacted by an individual using aliases such as 'Charlie' or 'Abi,' expressed anger and disappointment over the mishandling of sensitive information. One victim who chose not to report their experience to the police commented on their relief at not having done so. A Met officer requested recipients to delete the original email, but the damage appears to have been done. The email's visibility to all 19 victims has further eroded trust in the Met Police's ability to handle confidential information securely.