Senator arrested over data breach

April 6, 2009 / BBC News

A Jersey States politician has been arrested over allegations of breaching data protection laws.

Police arrested Senator Stuart Syvret at an address in Grouville shortly after 0900 BST.

The 43-year-old senator and former health minister is currently in custody helping police with their inquiries.

A spokeswoman for Jersey Police confirmed that a 43-year-old man had been arrested in connection with alleged breaches of data.

Inquiry call

Senator Syvret was an outspoken critic of the establishment's handling of the police investigation in the island into claims of child abuse from the 1960s to 1980s.

In 2007 he was dismissed from his post as Minister for Health and Social Services after claiming abuse cases were being covered up.

The investigation focused on the former Haut de la Garenne children's home.

Hundreds of ex-residents contacted detectives with details of alleged sexual and violent assaults.

Senator Syvret, who called for both an independent inquiry and for court cases to be held on the UK mainland, was accused by the Chief Minister, Frank Walker, of damaging Jersey's reputation.