Met vows to overhaul database on gangs

SCOTLAND Yard has agreed to overhaul a controversial database that holds information on suspected gang members, following a legal challenge that argued it breached the right to a private and family life.

The Gangs Violence Matrix (GVM) was collated in 2012 in the wake of London riots and was used to record intelligence on thousands of alleged gang members across the city.

Critics claimed people were added without their knowledge sometimes simply because of where they lived or who they knew and the information could be made available to third parties.

In 2018 the Met agreed to adapt the way it used the data after an investigation by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) ruled it had committed multiple data protection breaches.

Last month, Sir Mark Rowley, the Met Commissioner, agreed to remove more than 1,000 young men who were on the list even though they were considered to pose little or no risk of violence.

But Liberty, the human rights organisation, was due to bring a case in the High Court next week on behalf of a musician who claimed he had been the victim of repeated discrimination.

Awate Suleiman had spent more than two years trying to find out if his name was on the database, but was refused permission.

The Met has also now agreed that people can apply to find out if their names are on the Matrix and will only be refused in limited circumstances.

Lana Adamou, lawyer at Liberty, said: “Having defended this claim for over a year, the Met has now admitted that the Gangs Matrix is unlawful – and that the

‘The Met has admitted the Gangs Matrix is unlawful and that the way it operated breached human rights’

way it operated breached the human rights of those who were placed on it.

”Once on the list, people’s data could be shared with third parties including the Home Office, local authorities, the DWP, housing providers, schools and the DVLA – leading to potentially lifechanging consequences.”

Sir Mark said: “We acknowledge that the Gangs Violence Matrix does need to be redesigned, taking into account improvements in statistical methods and technologies.”