What is the latest news on the test cases?
Whilst the position regarding a “universal offer” from the Chief Constable remains unclear, we are focusing our efforts on the test cases which commenced on 3 November 2025. A number of cases are being heard by the Court, which will seek to deal with common issues as far as the Court thinks appropriate and to decide damages for the individual test cases.
The hope is that the cases will conclude before Christmas, subject to finding additional hearing dates which suit the Court. At a review hearing on 14 November 2025, the Court provisionally listed the cases for further hearing on a number of dates between 3 December and 16 December 2025, with a review hearing on 1 December 2025.
The figure for damages in any test case will be specific to that plaintiff and will not represent what every plaintiff should get. We hope however to be able to use the Test cases to draw out guidance about what figure for damages might be appropriate for each individual plaintiff.
“Special Measures” for Plaintiffs
Every plaintiff has already been granted anonymity and is identified by a cipher only in the pleadings.
The Court has also already indicated that it will be content to make an order in each case restricting reporting of the hearing, to avoid any identifying features being reported by the media.
In addition to anonymity and reporting restrictions, some of the plaintiffs in the test cases including those in sensitive roles, are seeking “special measures” for giving evidence. This would allow them to give evidence in private or via videolink or otherwise protected from view.
We are surprised and disappointed that the Chief Constable is opposing the request for special measures to protect some officers in these cases, particularly given that the risk to their safety arises largely from a data breach by the PSNI.
In any case, the application for special measures in the relevant test cases has been adjourned for further submissions. Every application for special measures will be dealt with on its own facts, and it is likely that most plaintiffs will not require special measures.
What is the latest news on the “Universal Offer”?
There has been no further news from the Defendant regarding the proposed “universal offer”. The position appears to remain that despite a business case for a “universal offer” having been recently approved by both the Department of Justice and Department of Finance, the PSNI cannot proceed to make the offer as the total figure is not affordable within current PSNI funding.
We remain extremely disappointed and frustrated that it has taken until now for the PSNI to raise such a crucial issue and hope that the PSNI will resolve funding issues as a matter of urgency to allow for the universal offer to be made as soon as possible.
What is the next step for me?
If you have registered with us and are a member of the Police Federation, you should have received a questionnaire to complete. Thank you to those who have already returned completed questionnaires. If you have not yet returned your questionnaire, we would ask that you take some time to complete and return same to the PFNI, who will in turn pass it securely to us.
If you have registered with us and are not a member of the Police Federation, you should have received a questionnaire directly from Edwards Solicitors. Again, thank you to those who have already completed and returned their questionnaire. If you have not yet done so, we would ask that you take some time to complete it and return it directly to us.
What if I haven’t received a questionnaire?
Firstly, please check your junk mail and spam folders to check that the email is not there. If not, and if you are a PFNI member, please contact the PFNI to check that you are registered and to ask for a questionnaire to be sent to you.
If you are not a PFNI member and you have not received a questionnaire, please contact us directly via email at psnidatabreach@edwardsandcompany.co.uk, or by calling our office and speaking to Philip Gordon, Rachel Powderly, Sarah Livingstone or Shannon McAllister.
Can I still join the claim?
Yes, you can still join the claim. If you are a PFNI member, please contact the PFNI to register with them and they will pass your name to us for addition to the claim and send to you a questionnaire for completion and return.
If you are not a PFNI member please contact us directly.
How do I contact you if I have any queries?
If you have any queries from time to time, please contact us via email at psnidatabreach@edwardsandcompany.co.uk or by calling our office and speaking to Philip Gordon, Rachel Powderly, Sarah Livingstone or Shannon McAllister.