Forces waste resources on ‘digital Tipp-ex’

Police forces are wasting hundreds of thousands of pounds on “digital Tipp-ex” divisions who simply redact names, addresses and images from evidence to meet data privacy rules, the solicitor general has revealed.

Alex Chalk, QC, said one force spent £1 million setting up a specialist team to redact evidence so it could be submitted to prosecutors without impinging on privacy laws. In as many as 30 per cent of cases, there was not a charge after the redaction was made.

The process has also been blamed for adding to delays rape victims face, from reporting an offence to getting justice in court.