AN RAC worker who leaked customers’ personal details to nuisance callers has been spared prison.

Kim Doyle, of Higher Whitley, was handed an eight-month imprisonment suspended for two years at Manchester Crown Court today, Friday, after admitting conspiracy to secure unauthorised access to computer data and selling unlawfully obtained personal data.

The court heard that the 33-year-old transferred data including names, phone numbers and vehicle registration numbers to Leeds-based accident management firm TMS Stratosphere – which trades as LIS Claims – in January last year.

These details were then used in order to make nuisance phone calls.

Fleet management company Arval alerted the RAC about a potential data leak after one of its driver received such contact.

An internal investigation then revealed that Doyle had been compiling unauthorised lists of personal details.

Company director William Shaw, of Urmston in Manchester, also admitted conspiracy to secure unauthorised access to computer data.

The 32-year-old was also handed an eight-month jail term, suspended for two years.

Both defendants were ordered to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work and to pay £1,000 in court costs.

Doyle must pay back £25,000 of her ill-gotten gains under the Proceeds of Crime Act, while Shaw was told to repay £15,000.

The pair will each be handed three months in prison if they do not pay within three months.

Mike Shaw, of the criminal investigations team at the Information Commissioner’s Office, said: “Those who believe that this is a victimless crime without consequences need to think again.

“These criminal acts have a detrimental impact on the public and businesses.

“People’s data is being accessed without consent and businesses are putting resources into tracking down criminals.

“Once the data is in the hands of claims management companies, people are subjected to unwanted calls which can in turn lead to fraudulent personal injury claims.

“Offenders must know that we will use all the tools at our disposal to protect people’s information and prevent it from being used to make nuisance calls.

“This case shows that we can and will take action, and that could lead to a prison sentence for those responsible.

“Where appropriate, we will work with partner agencies to make full use of the Proceeds of Crime Act to ensure that criminals do not benefit financially from their criminal behaviour.”