A WATCHDOG has fined Humberside Police £130,000 after the force lost disks containing a video interview of an alleged rape victim.

A bundle containing three unencrypted disks and accompanying paperwork, which contained the alleged victim's name, date of birth and signature, as well as details about the alleged rape itself, the victim's mental health and the suspect's name and address, were left in an envelope on an officer's desk.

The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), said the envelope was due to be posted to Cleveland Police, but never arrived, and there was no evidence to prove the package was actually sent.

An ICO investigation found Humberside Police had failed to encrypt the disks before sending or intending to send them by unsecure mail, failed to maintain a detailed audit trail of the package and the force's Protecting Vulnerable People Unit had not adhered to its information security policy.

Steve Eckersley, head of enforcement for the ICO, said: "We see far too many cases where police forces fail to look after disks containing the highly sensitive personal information contained within victim or witness interviews.

"Anyone working in a police force has a duty to stop and think whenever they handle personal details – making sure they are using the most appropriate method for transferring information and considering the consequences of it being lost before going ahead. Staff training in this area is vital. Police forces deal with such sensitive information that when things go wrong, it’s likely to be serious. This case shows how crucial it is to keep a clear record of what’s been sent, when and who to."

Humberside Police has also been asked by the ICO to sign a commitment to take steps to improve its data protection practices.

Deputy Chief Constable Chris Rowley said the force "deeply regret the distress caused to the alleged victim".

DCC Rowley said: "We made a voluntary referral to the Information Commissioner as soon as we realised a breach of the data protection act had taken place, as well as informing the alleged victim that the package may not have been sent to Cleveland Police."

DCC Rowley said the force had also improved its data protection practices since the incident, which took place in 2015.