Investigation ordered over Southport victims and survivors’ data breach | The IndependentJump to contentSwipe for next articleIndependent Bulletin homepageDownload our appAllNewsSportCultureLifestyleWant to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.Subscribe`; document.body.appendChild(modal); modal.addEventListener('click', () => { document.cookie = 'mos-plan-select=; Max-Age=0; path=/; expires=Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 UTC;'; }); modal.querySelector('.subscribe-link')?.addEventListener('click', (e) => { e.preventDefault(); document.cookie = 'mos-plan-select=; Max-Age=0; path=/; expires=Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 UTC;'; setTimeout(() => { window.location.href = 'https://www.independent.co.uk/subscribe/app'; }, 500); });});]]>Jane DaltonTuesday 15 September 2026 22:05 BSTSouthport attack could have been prevented, inquiry findsUnauthorised HM Courts and Tribunals Service staff accessed sensitive personal details of victims, survivors, and witnesses of the Southport knife attack.The data breach was identified during a review of Ministry of Justice digital systems, prompting disciplinary action against the staff involved.Prime Minister Andy Burnham ordered Lord Chancellor Alex Norris to urgently oversee a further investigation into the incident.The Ministry of Justice apologised for the breach, describing unauthorised access to court files as completely unacceptable, while the Information Commissioner's Office was notified.Axel Rudakubana was jailed for life with a minimum term of 52 years for the July 2024 attack that killed three young girls and injured 10 others.In fullSouthport attack victims and survivors at centre of ‘unacceptable’ data breach by court staffMore bulletinsThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in