A private detective was fined this week for unlawfully obtaining
information relating to "vulnerable women" from medical centres.
Ray Pearson, a director of North London-based Pearmac Ltd, was
prosecuted by the Information Commissioner’s Office.
Pearson also persuaded an employee from Her Majesty’s Revenue
and Customs (HMRC) to hand over his Employee Identity Number, and
then misrepresented himself in order to find out about a customer
of HMRC.
He was fined a total of £6,250 for Data Protection Act offences
and ordered to pay a further £600 costs by Brent Magistrates
Court.
Philip Taylor, a solicitor with the Information Commissioner’s
Office, said: “We are very pleased with the outcome of this case –
these are very serious offences, and the fines awarded by Brent
magistrates recognise that."
Pearson and his co-director, Alan McInerney, also pleaded guilty
to an offence under the Act relating to the non-notification of
Pearmac Ltd. Mr McInerney was fined £500, and ordered to pay £150
costs. The company was also fined £750 and ordered to pay £150
costs.
