£134,000 Compensation after Blunder by Greater Manchester Police Puts Man’s Life in Danger
Greater Manchester Police Force has been ordered by the High Court to pay £134,000 compensation to a man who was forced to enter an assisted protection scheme and undergo a complete change of identity, address and lifestyle after Police provided his confidential information to lawyers defending murder suspects.
The man formerly known as Mr Ken Ralphs a former community leader and vice chairperson of the Hazel Grove Labour Party, had given the Police a mobile ‘phone number for an individual in response to a public call for information to assist a murder investigation, but this fact was disclosed to solicitors defending the suspected murderers.
The suspects’ associates sought revenge against Mr Ralphs, causing him and his partner to enter the assisted protection scheme to live hundreds of miles from their home in Stockport.
In what is believed to be the first case of its kind, Greater Manchester Police admitted liability after Mr Ralphs and his partner, who were known as X and Y in the case, claimed negligence, breach of confidentiality and breach of human rights.
After the Police passed a file containing Mr Ralphs’ details to the defendants’ solicitor he received death threats written in blood. Attacks were made on his home and his fast food business was petrol bombed, CS gas was sprayed in his face and a knife was held to his throat.
Their foster son has moved abroad because of attacks and other family members have also relocated.
Acting for X and Y, Iftikhar Manzoor, of national law firm Irwin Mitchell, said:
“People who come forward to help the Police solve crimes should be confident that their details will remain confidential, otherwise why would people come forward?
As a result of the terrible mistake made by Greater Manchester Police both my clients lives are completely shattered. They still live in fear on a daily basis.
I hope Greater Manchester Police have learnt from their mistakes and will tighten their procedures to ensure no other member of the public has to go through the same terrible ordeal.
The man formerly known as Ken Ralphs says: “I was given a 100 per cent assurance that my name and information would not be disclosed, this blunder has completely ruined our lives. It was an unprofessional way to act and the consequences of passing on my details that reached the criminal fraternity have been devastating.
“I think this is a resigning matter for the Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police because if citizens cannot rely on the Police to protect their anonymity when they are responding to a call for information then the public simply will stop helping the Police to fight crime.
“No amount of compensation can ever pay for the scar that the Police blunder has left on our lives, In order to prevent this level of anguish being repeated it is clear that a public inquiry should now be established to look into how and why this happened and what actions are required to prevent it happening again to other members of the public.”