Big payout for cop fail

A GOLD Coast woman whose personal details were leaked to her abusive ex by a Queensland cop in an extraordinary breach of trust has finally been awarded a six-figure compensation settlement.

The woman, who cannot be named, took the state’s police service to the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal seeking damages after

Senior Constable Neil Punchard used the QPRIME database to forward her address to her ex-husband, a personal friend, in 2015.

Punchard, who joked with his mate that the woman would “flip out” when her new address was discovered, was handed a suspended jail term, but remains on the QPS payroll while he appeals the severity of the sentence.

Now, the QPS has quietly settled with the woman, who was forced to move house after the ordeal and had sought $335,000 in damages.

After rejecting an initial offer of $70,000, which the woman labelled “insulting”, she has accepted a revised, confidential figure believed to be in the range of six figures.

Speaking to the Bulletin yesterday, the woman said she could not comment on the terms of the settlement.

In a statement, a spokeswoman for the QPS said they were “not at liberty to discuss” the settlement, but acknowledged that the unlawful or improper use of information can have “significant consequences and impacts” for people whose privacy has been breached, and “expressed sincere regret”.

“The Commissioner has publicly acknowledged that a failure to discharge prescribed responsibilities in an ethical, professional and lawful manner erodes public trust and confidence in the QPS,” she said.

“A further assessment of the officer’s suitability to remain as a police officer will be determined following the outcome of the appeal.”

Punchard, who has been stood down but remains on full pay, has an appeal set down for July.

Justice advocate Renee Eaves, who has waged her own war against privacy breaches, was a key witness at last year’s Operation Impala hearings, an inquiry into the improper access of confidential information.

Speaking yesterday, she said the QPS needed to send a strong message that unauthorised use of people’s personal information would not be tolerated.