London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, May 31, 2025

UK PM Johnson says he 'doesn't know' how many arrest records accidentally deleted in 'outrageous' wipe of police database

UK PM Johnson says he 'doesn't know' how many arrest records accidentally deleted in 'outrageous' wipe of police database

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said he doesn't know how many criminal cases have been affected by a huge security error that has seen hundreds of thousands of records deleted from the Home Office-run national police database.
Some 150,000 arrest records and thousands of fingerprint and DNA files were initially reported to have been mistakenly erased from the Police National Computer (PNC) in a "tech blunder" during the week ending January 10.

"We don't know how many cases might be frustrated as a result of what has happened," Johnson told Parliament on Wednesday as he was grilled over the issue by opposition Labour leader Keir Starmer.

The PM admitted that "of course it is outrageous" that data had been lost, but said that the government is "working around the clock" to retrieve the files, while adding that he did not know how long the issue would take to resolve.

Johnson broke down the numbers in Parliament, explaining that the deletion included 213,000 offence records, 175,000 arrest records and 15,000 personal.

Starmer claimed the incident had already impacted live investigations and that 26,000 DNA records and 30,000 fingerprint records had also been deleted, including records of the most serious offenders, citing a letter from the National Police Chief's Council.

"This isn't just a technical issue, it's about criminals not being caught and victims not getting justice," the Labour leader warned.

Home Secretary Priti Patel, whose department operates the PNC, said earlier on Wednesday that a "coding issue" was behind the accidental deletion of up to 400,000 records, although she clarified that the number could be less than that.

The data is reported to have been deleted during the government's weekly "weeding" session to get rid of old data, according to the Times.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
White House Press Secretary Criticizes Harvard Funding, Advocates for Vocational Training
France to Implement Nationwide Smoking Ban in Outdoor Spaces Frequented by Children
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
Russia's Fossil Fuel Revenues Approach €900 Billion Since Ukraine Invasion
U.S. Justice Department Reduces American Bar Association's Role in Judicial Nominations
U.S. Department of Energy Unveils 'Doudna' Supercomputer to Advance AI Research
U.S. SEC Dismisses Lawsuit Against Binance Amid Regulatory Shift
Alcohol Industry Faces Increased Scrutiny Amid Health Concerns
Italy Faces Population Decline Amid Youth Emigration
U.S. Goods Imports Plunge Nearly 20% Amid Tariff Disruptions
OpenAI Faces Competition from Cheaper AI Rivals
Foreign Tax Provision in U.S. Budget Bill Alarms Investors
Trump Accuses China of Violating Trade Agreement
Gerry Adams Wins Libel Case Against BBC
Russia Accuses Serbia of Supplying Arms to Ukraine
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
Chinese Woman Dies After Being Forced to Visit Bank Despite Critical Illness
President Trump Grants Full Pardons to Reality TV Stars Todd and Julie Chrisley
Texas Enacts App Store Accountability Act Mandating Age Verification
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Vatican Calls for Sustainable Tourism in 2025 Message
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Trump Threatens 25% Tariff on iPhones Amid Dispute with Apple CEO
Putin's Helicopter Reportedly Targeted by Ukrainian Drones
Liverpool Car Ramming Incident Leaves Multiple Injured
Australia Faces Immigration Debate Following Labor Party Victory
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
Macron Dismisses Viral Video of Wife's Gesture as Playful Banter
Cleveland Clinic Study Questions Effectiveness of Recent Flu Vaccine
Netanyahu Accuses Starmer of Siding with Hamas
Junior Doctors Threaten Strike Over 4% Pay Offer
Labour MPs Urge Chancellor to Tax Wealthy Over Cutting Welfare
Publication of UK Child Poverty Strategy Delayed Until Autumn
France Detains UK Fishing Vessel Amid Post-Brexit Tensions
Calls Grow to Resume Syrian Asylum Claims in UK
Nigel Farage Pledges to Reinstate Winter Fuel Payments
Boris and Carrie Johnson Welcome Daughter Poppy
×