London accountant prosecuted for data protection offences

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has successfully prosecuted a London accountant for offences under the Data Protection Act.

Aziz Arian of Arian & Co Accountants was fined £400 and ordered to pay costs of £518.40, plus a victims’ surcharge of £15 at London City Magistrates Court. Arian must pay a total of £933.40 in fines and costs.

The prosecution follows Arian’s failure to notify as a data controller despite repeated reminders from the ICO of his obligations under the Data Protection Act.

Under the Act, organisations that process individuals’ personal information may be required to notify with the Information Commissioner at a nominal cost of £35 per year.

Mick Gorrill, Assistant Commissioner at the ICO, says:

“The Data Protection Act ensures that people’s personal information is properly processed and protected. Notifying as a data controller under the Data Protection Act is an important obligation for all organisations which process personal information.

“The Information Commissioner's Office stands ready to use its powers to prosecute the small minority of businesses that flout the Act by failing to notify with the ICO. Today’s case is the third accountancy firm that we have prosecuted this year alone.”

For more information about data protection and the obligations of data controllers, premium members of Workplace Law Network can download a factsheet by clicking here