Alderney politician given warning after secretly recording private meeting

An Alderney States member has been reprimanded after he secretly recorded a private conversation before sharing it with an undisclosed third party.

Deputy Kevin Gentle was found to have breached data protection law after a complaint and subsequent investigation by the Office of the Data Protection Authority (ODPA).

Bailiwick of Guernsey's Data Protection Commissioner Emma Martins said she hopes the case highlights not just the importance of data handling policies but that they are also communicated effectively.

The unnamed complainant met with Deputy Gentle to discuss concerns about an active building project and its management.

Deputy Gentle recorded the meeting without the complainant's permission and then passed it on to a third party who subsequently shared the material with an industry governing body.

This triggered an investigation into the complainant which found no breach of industry guidelines.

The complainant argued Deputy Gentle's actions breached his rights and brought his name into disrepute.

Following an investigation into these claims, ODPA recognised Deputy Gentle was trying to act in the best interests of his public position but that he could have reached the same result by different means.

They concluded Deputy Gentle had broken the law by collecting and disclosing personal data without permission.

ODPA issued him with a reprimand, acknowledging Deputy Gentle's constructive engagement throughout the process and his willingness to learn from the experience.

Deputy Gentle chose not to appeal against the decision.