Walsall Council worker illegally accessed records 83 times in six months
A former council officer has been fined for illegally accessing social services records of children and adults more than 80 times.
Danyelle Shaw worked as an acting senior reablement officer at Walsall Council when she accessed its MOSAIC social care database without authority 83 times between April and September 2017.
The 28-year-old illegally viewed the social services files of 16 people she was acquainted with, including nine children aged between three and eight.
The children’s records made up 47 of the 83 unlawful accesses. One of the adults affected later found out and made a complaint.
Shaw, who had received training in data protection and confidentiality protocols, was dismissed by the council in September 2018 and later declined to be interviewed under caution by the Information Commissioner’s Office, which subsequently prosecuted her.
Shaw, of Chantry Avenue in Bloxwich, was fined £450 after she appeared at Wolverhampton Magistrates’ Court and admitted a charge of unlawfully obtaining personal data.
She was also ordered to pay £364 costs and a £45 victim surcharge.
Hazel Padmore, head of investigations at the commissioner's office, said: “People whose work allows them access to what can often be highly sensitive personal information need to know that the ICO will act to protect the legal rights of data subjects.
“This is another case where someone clearly knew the importance of confidentiality and protecting people’s personal information but decided to disregard all their training for their own reasons, and ended up paying a heavy price.
"Losing your job and ending up before the courts is not a price worth paying.”
