Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to be alarmed after a defendant contacted me?

219 replies

ShapeofanLonmyforehead · 17/08/2026 11:20

I was a witness for an incident that took place near my home some months ago. It ended up going to court and although I didn’t attend in person, my statement was provided in court. I was assured it was all anonymous as the person in question is violent.

fast forward to a couple of weeks ago, this individual has written to me from prison (not yet sentenced) offering me money to write to them. The letter is hand written and contains my full name and address. I am absolutely livid that they’ve somehow got my information, I’ve rang the police who sent me a text later on to say it’s a non-reportable crime.. and the witness support agent person emailed to say she’s passed the information on to the case lead, but I’ve heard nothing back in weeks and I just want to know how in the world he got my information and why he’s been allowed to write to me with bribes.

I have two young kids at home, the last thing I want is some POS contacting me.

OP posts:
NoCommentingFromNowOn · 19/08/2026 19:34

ShapeofanLonmyforehead · 19/08/2026 18:50

Police had admitted to a GDPR breach on their end, but that’s it. No apology, no investigation. Just ‘there’s been a GDPR breach on our end’ 🙃

How are they offering to protect you? What if he comes to your home? I think they need to say something about this other than a brief explanation.

NinaGeiger · 19/08/2026 19:20

Shouldn't they get a massive fine from the Information Commissioner for the GDPR breach?

MrsKateColumbo · 19/08/2026 19:07

That's awful OP!
I have a really identifiable name, I wont give any witness statements going forwards!

CandidHedgehog · 19/08/2026 19:03

SALaw · 19/08/2026 18:59

How did he write from prison after the trial then?!

Show quote history

There’s usually a gap between conviction and sentence of a few weeks (unless it’s a straightforward fine or similar). If he was remanded, he’ll have stayed in until he was sentenced.

SALaw · 19/08/2026 18:59

ShapeofanLonmyforehead · 19/08/2026 18:48

He got all suspended sentences. So he’s out.
sentences included breaching protection orders, so clearly he doesn’t give a shit who tells him what to or not to do.

I’ve written to the MP, I am just so frustrated.

How did he write from prison after the trial then?!

MyOtherProfile · 19/08/2026 18:58

ShapeofanLonmyforehead · 19/08/2026 18:57

I’m not sure what a surgery is? I’ve got to be honest. I feel a bit out of depth with this complaint. I’ve never had to do anything like this and I’m so angry about it I don’t want to just let it go and see what happens. I feel like I deserve answers.

Show quote history

It's when your MP sits in his office and members of their constituency can go and speak to them face to face.

Original poster
ShapeofanLonmyforehead · 19/08/2026 18:57

MyOtherProfile · 19/08/2026 18:54

That's appalling. There must be someone else you can go to. Does your MP have a surgery soon?

Show quote history

I’m not sure what a surgery is? I’ve got to be honest. I feel a bit out of depth with this complaint. I’ve never had to do anything like this and I’m so angry about it I don’t want to just let it go and see what happens. I feel like I deserve answers.

OP posts:
MyOtherProfile · 19/08/2026 18:54

ShapeofanLonmyforehead · 19/08/2026 18:50

Police had admitted to a GDPR breach on their end, but that’s it. No apology, no investigation. Just ‘there’s been a GDPR breach on our end’ 🙃

That's appalling. There must be someone else you can go to. Does your MP have a surgery soon?

Original poster
ShapeofanLonmyforehead · 19/08/2026 18:50

Police had admitted to a GDPR breach on their end, but that’s it. No apology, no investigation. Just ‘there’s been a GDPR breach on our end’ 🙃

OP posts:
Original poster
ShapeofanLonmyforehead · 19/08/2026 18:48

He got all suspended sentences. So he’s out.
sentences included breaching protection orders, so clearly he doesn’t give a shit who tells him what to or not to do.

I’ve written to the MP, I am just so frustrated.

OP posts:
hallomynameisinigomontoya · 19/08/2026 18:32

Stolengoat · 19/08/2026 11:16

How would he get all the names and addresses?

Show quote history

Electoral roll, phone book, nextdoor app...

Hildegard25 · 19/08/2026 17:44

24Dogcuddler · 17/08/2026 12:03

If you don’t get anywhere with complaints email your MP and their office will take up the case.

This, this this, definitely.

cactidream · 19/08/2026 14:17

ShapeofanLonmyforehead · 17/08/2026 12:45

No it’s a prison issue letter, with the prison header, wing number ect on it.

Show quote history

this is unbelievable! I am so sorry this is happening to you.

but after hearing Jody Riley story and how police "acted" nothing in this country will surprise me anymore

Stolengoat · 19/08/2026 11:16

hallomynameisinigomontoya · 17/08/2026 11:24

Is it possible they've written to everyone on your street who could have witnessed the crime? Not knowing what happened or what the letter said (which obviously you wouldn't want to share!) it's hard to tell if they know you were the witness or if they just guess it's someone on x street.

How would he get all the names and addresses?

Sereine · 19/08/2026 10:29

Gossipisgood · 19/08/2026 10:26

Contact a Solicitor & ask their advice. There's a serious breach of GDPR & it could be classed as witness intimidation & also bribing you could be an offence as well. Anytime you speak with someone ask them to follow it up in an email so you have a paper trail & evidence to back yourself.

Why is it automatically a GDPR breach?

Going to a solicitor would be way more expensive than contacting the police and/or the CPS.

Gossipisgood · 19/08/2026 10:26

Contact a Solicitor & ask their advice. There's a serious breach of GDPR & it could be classed as witness intimidation & also bribing you could be an offence as well. Anytime you speak with someone ask them to follow it up in an email so you have a paper trail & evidence to back yourself.

Sereine · 19/08/2026 10:23

TheJuryIsOut · 17/08/2026 11:52

Wtf?? This is insane, they should be struck off and charged themselves for giving out witnesses personal information. It's absolutely disgusting, imagine the danger they could put someone in

Show quote history

Nonsense. The defence team gets sent copies of all the evidence by the prosecution, and they not only can but should give copies to the accused. If the police or CPS left an address on there, it's down to them, but the chances are that they didn't and the accused found out OP's address from the other available details.

Tuesdayschild50 · 19/08/2026 10:23

Surely thats a breach of privacy thats not good at all.
No wonder you feel how you do don't take being fobbed off by the police and contact the prison.
Do you have a solicitor or anyone that could give advice as to why your address has been made public knowledge to this person.
To block all correspondence but also knowing your address anyway is surely a massive fuck up by someone.

Norwegiancopice · 19/08/2026 09:34

hallomynameisinigomontoya · 17/08/2026 11:24

Is it possible they've written to everyone on your street who could have witnessed the crime? Not knowing what happened or what the letter said (which obviously you wouldn't want to share!) it's hard to tell if they know you were the witness or if they just guess it's someone on x street.

OP states it uses her full name and address.

CandidHedgehog · 19/08/2026 09:21

WalmartWitney · 19/08/2026 09:00

They have her FULL NAME abd ADDRESS though.

Yes and the FULL NAME will always be given to the defendant in a criminal case unless there is a granted application for anonymity which almost never happens (maybe once every few years in big gangland cases).

It really isn’t hard to track down someone’s address once you have their full name and a general idea of the area where they live - I’ve done it myself with a misdirected parcel that looked expensive.

It’s quite possible nobody has done anything wrong to allow the defendant to get the address. Obviously he shouldn’t have written to the OP but that might be the only inappropriate behaviour (I can’t say crime - we don’t know enough about the letter).

The fact he’s written this late suggests it wasn’t the Prosecution, police or defence who gave him the address - all of the transfer of information will have taken place before his plea was entered, not after conviction.

WalmartWitney · 19/08/2026 09:00

They have her FULL NAME abd ADDRESS though.

YourCraftyShaker · 19/08/2026 05:21

Ypu need to alert the police

EBearhug · 19/08/2026 02:11

I also think it's not definitely a data breach - the OP said it happened near het home. If you've got a name and you know which street or streets someone is likely to live in, it wouldn't be difficult to find out the actual address, especially if you don't limit yourself only to legal searches.

AtlasCedar · 19/08/2026 01:07

Dilemma999 · 17/08/2026 11:34

Wow, that’s a serious GDPR breach. Whoever you sent the statement to, go straight to the top. They need to investigate. It could have been passed on unwittingly by them or one of the legal teams.

Is it?

When I went to court for something I was given a pack that basically had all of the evidence the police had put forward. This included two witness statements with full names, licence plate numbers (it was car related) and their statements.

They would have been very easy to find if on the electoral roll.

BeserkingTuesday · 19/08/2026 00:59

Report it. The letter could have been stopped by the prison and never reached you.
Do it by email and copy in the Judge, your MP, and P.C.C. Make sure you make it clear that you are copying in the others, “as you are unsure who the most appropriate person is”.
Whoever is responsible will make sure it is dealt with properly as they won’t want to be held responsible for any dereliction.

Swipe left for the next trending thread