UK: Anti-Terrorism Laws used to spy on noisy children
An investigation by The Sunday Telegraph found that three quarters of local authorities have used the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (RIPA) 2000 over the past year.
The Act gives councils the right to place residents and businesses under surveillance, trace telephone and email accounts and even send staff on undercover missions.
The Sunday Telegraph
Examples:
- Newcastle City Council used the Act to monitor noise levels from smoking shelters at two different licensed premises. The council has twice used the legislation to monitor noise from a vet’s practice following a complaint about barking.
- Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council used it to deal with 16 complaints about barking dogs.
- Derby Council made sound recordings at a property following a complaint about noisy children.
- Peterborough Council investigated the operation of the blue badge scheme for disabled drivers.
- Poole Council used it to detect illegal fishing in Poole Harbour.
- Basingstoke Council used photographic surveillance against one of its own refuse collectors after allegations he was charging residents for a service that should be free. The operation was dropped when it was decided the allegation was false.
- Aberdeenshire Council admitted using the Scottish version of the Act to request the name and address of a mobile phone user as part of an investigation into offences under the Weights and Measures Act.
- Easington council put a resident’s garden under camera surveillance after a complaint from neighbours about noise.
- Canterbury City Council used CCTV surveillance and an officer’s observations to monitor illegal street trading.
- Brighton and Hove council launched four operations against graffiti artists
- Torbay Council accessed an employee’s emails after an allegation that suspect material had been sent. A second employee was investigated over the “use of council vehicle for personal gain”.
- Westminster City Council covertly filmed a locksmith following allegations of fraud.
- Durham County Council obtained authorisation to monitor car boot sales during an investigation into the sale of counterfeit goods.
Any truth to these allegations?
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