Retaining Information On An Individual's Private Life: Can It Be Justified?

In the recent case of The Queen (on the application of John Oldroyd Catt) v The Association of Chief Police Officers and the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis the Court of Appeal held that a protestor's right to privacy under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights had been breached by the respondents.

The facts

Mr Catt, an 88 year old male, had been a frequent protestor against what he considered a variety of forms of injustice. He had attended a number of public demonstrations, which included those organised by "Smash EDO", a protest group campaigning for the closure of EDO; a US owned arms company with a factory in Brighton. Some of the core supporters of Smash EDO are prone to violence and criminal behaviour, which led to a substantial police presence at EDO protests and numerous arrests having been made. It was accepted, however, that Mr Catt had not been convicted of any criminal conduct of any kind in connection with any of