A woman officer feared dissident republican terrorists would carry out a drive-by shooting on her home following a big data breach within the Police Service of Northern Ireland, she told the High Court today.
The woman described suffering a panic attack after being informed about the leak while she was heavily pregnant and being scared by the perceived threat to the future safety of her family.
“It just felt like my whole world was crashing down,” she said.
Granted anonymity and referred to as RB89, she is among thousands of police officers and civilian employees suing over the release of their personal details in August 2023.
RM Block
The unprecedented data breach involved the accidental publication on a website in response to a Freedom of Information (FoI) request.
Names, ranks and roles of nearly 9,500 PSNI officers and staff were disclosed.
Within days of the leak, it was confirmed that dissident republicans had accessed the information.
Up to 8,500 of those affected are seeking damages for negligence and breaches of data protection and privacy.
Although the PSNI has already accepted liability for what happened, the force does not have the funding to settle the actions.
Last week, it emerged that the UK treasury has rejected a request from the Stormont Executive for financial help in footing the overall estimated £120 million (€136 million) bill.
RB89 is one of six test cases identified for determination as part of efforts to manage the scale of litigation.
The officer, who is not originally from Northern Ireland, told the court how she had taken careful security precautions since joining the PSNI in 2017.
She recalled how a colleague informed her about the breach while she was six months pregnant.
“I had a panic attack, I wasn’t able to get a breath and I was scared,” she said.
Based on her uncommon name, the officer feared she could be easily identified from the leaked details and went off on leave.
“I just felt physically sick and worried about my unborn baby,” she said.
“I kept thinking if I couldn’t get a breath, is the baby okay? If my heartbeat is high, is the baby okay?”
Extra security measures were put in place around her family’s home following the data breach, with cameras, fencing and a video doorbell all installed.
The court heard RB89 refused to sit in the livingroom or let her children go in there for a long time afterwards because it backed on to a nearby road.
“I was worried that someone was going to drive by and shoot,” she said.
“The doors [to the house] were always locked, and when the security lights went on, I would jump up in bed five times a night.
“It could be just a cat, but there was a constant worry.”
Questioned by her barrister, David Dunlop KC, the officer likened it to living in a “fight or flight” situation every day.
Even though she suffered from other bouts of illness in later months, she insisted that the main impact on her health was due to the data breach.
“It will always have an effect on me. That information is out there, I’m not changing my name and I’m still a police officer,” she told the court.
“[The concern] is my children not having a mum, thinking that someone was going to shoot through our house.
Adjourning proceedings following her testimony, Mr Justice Rooney indicated he will hear evidence in other test cases next month.
