Soca rogue private investigator client list release delayed for another month
The release of the Serious Organised Crime Agency's (SOCA) list containing 98 sources who hired rogue investigators has been delayed, despite MPs threatening to publish the report in parliament.
The list is remaining confidential until further notice
The list was compiled during Operation Milipede, started in 2008 and concluding with the prosecution of four investigators for data blagging last year. The list includes law firms, insurance companies and celebrities who have hired private investigators convicted of data ‘blagging’ offences.
A spokesperson for the Home Office said that the publishing of the list is unlikely to be reconsidered until the Information Commissioner looks at the case again 8 October.
In a letter to Keith Vaz, Soca director general Trevor Pearce, said: “I am clear, as is the Soca chairman, that Soca’s responsibility in ensuring the integrity of an investigative process in the interests of justice has not changed, and that therefore therefore the confidential material as presented to and agreed with you should remain confidential.
"All businesses should take proactive measures to ensure that where they use private investigators they do so in a lawful manner, irrespective of whether they are concerned as to whether or not they are on the list."
Information Commissioner Christopher Graham stated that if published, the list could hinder any investigation into the alleged data protection breaches.