A director of an accident claims company, Miles Savory, has been prosecuted at the Bristol Magistrates’ Court. Mr Savory pleaded guilty to an offence under section 55 of the Data Protection Act 1998 for unlawfully obtaining personal data concerning an individual whom Mr Savory had alleged had been involved in an accident. Enquiries with the DVLA and the Avon and Somerset Police Force confirmed that this was not correct and reported the matter to the ICO for investigation. Mr Savory was fined £335.00, for the offence of obtaining personal data, and ordered to pay prosecution costs of £364.08 and a victim surcharge of £33.00.

......for inventing a crash in order to trace the owner of a private number plate he wanted to buy.

Miles Savory, 40, a director of Bristol-based Accident Claims Handlers Ltd, sent official forms to the DVLA requesting the identity of the registered keeper of a 4x4 which he claimed had been involved in a collision in the city. The owner of the 4x4 subsequently received a letter at his home from the defendant, offering to buy his private registration plate, W1 DOW. He complained to the DVLA and an internal investigation revealed Savory had used subterfuge in order to obtain his name and address. The owner of the plate lived in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, and said he had never been to Bristol in his life. Police ANPR cameras later confirmed the vehicle was not in the area at the time of the alleged crash. The DVLA reported the matter to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). Savory admitted a charge of breaching s55 of the Data Protection Act 1998 by unlawfully obtaining personal data when he appeared at Bristol Magistrates’ Court. The defendant, of Whiteshill, Hambrook, Bristol, was fined £335 and was ordered to pay £364.08 costs and a victim surcharge of £33.

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