SUPREME COURT HEARS SUPERMARKET'S APPEAL IN UK'S FIRST DATA LEAK CLASS ACTION
The case involved Bradford-based chain Morrisons
Supermarket giant Morrisons should not be held liable for the criminal act of an employee with a "grudge" who leaked the payroll data of around 100,000 members of staff, the UK's highest court has heard.
The argument was presented to the Supreme Court on Wednesday during a bid by the company to overturn a ruling which gave the go-ahead for compensation claims by thousands of employees whose personal details were posted on the internet.
Lord Pannick QC, representing Morrisons, told a panel of five justices, including the court's president, Lady Hale, that there was an "extraordinary background" to the case - the first data leak class action in the UK.
It involved the conduct of an employee, Andrew Skelton, who disclosed staff information on the internet and also sent it to newspapers, "because of a grudge against Morrisons and in order to damage Morrisons".
Published: by Radio NewsHub