UK agent fined for misuse of marketing information

A UK travel agent has been fined £2,600 and ordered to pay £1,000 costs for breaching the Data Protection Act after using information taken from his previous employer’s marketing database when he set up his own business. Nottingham Crown Court last week found Mr Zbigniew Andrew Soltysik guilty for 13 offences of obtaining, and 13 offences of disclosing, personal information contrary to section 55 of the act. The agent also asked for a further 548 offences of unlawful obtaining and or disclosing of personal information to be taken into consideration. Mr Soltysik, from Mapperley, Nottinghamshire removed a database of customer details from his previous employer Quality Travel in Grantham. He then used the database to send marketing material to Quality Travel’s customers when he and his wife set up their own travel agents, New Style Travel. Quality Travel reported the case to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). Commenting on the case today the Information Commissioner, Richard Thomas, said: “I am pleased to see that this case was viewed so seriously that it was committed to the crown court for sentencing. Obtaining and disclosing personal information can have serious consequences and data protection laws protect an individual’s right to personal privacy.” He added: “The result of this prosecution by my office sends out the clear message to those engaged in similar activity that such sharp practice in handling personal information, involving invasion of people’s privacy, will not be tolerated by me, or by the Courts.”