A motor insurance worker who unlawfully accessed personal information about car crash claims has been slapped with a £355,880.10 confiscation order, which must be paid within three months or he will be jailed for three years and six months and still be liable for the full amount.
The action follows the successful prosecution of Rizwan Manjra, from Bolton, in December 2024 after an investigation by the Information Commissioner’s Office into the suspected theft and sale of personal data for claims management firms.
Manjra led a team dealing with accident claims for Markerstudy Insurance Services Limited (MISL), based in the Arndale Centre in Manchester city centre. His unlawful conduct was discovered after MISL reported to the ICO that it suspected an employee was unlawfully accessing its systems.
Concerns were raised by third party insurers that MISL worked with, relating to 185 claims. The insurers became suspicious due to the higher than normal number of claims being processed. An internal investigation found Manjra had featured in 160 of the claims, despite his role not involving the access of claims. Of these, 147 had not been referred to Manjra’s team and no legitimate reason could be found for him to access them.
Manjra was contracted to work Monday to Friday but when MISL reviewed its systems it discovered Manjra accessed over 32,000 policies during weekends, when he was not expected in work and not claiming overtime.
MISL told the ICO it set up an incident telephone number to handle calls from concerned customers as well as a dedicated email address to handle queries arising from this matter. An ICO investigation, which included a search of Manjra’s home, found he was sending details of personal data he had accessed by mobile phone to another person.
At a hearing at Manchester Crown Court on October 30 2024, Manjra pleaded guilty to an offence under the Computer Misuse Act 1990, relating to the unlawful accessing of personal data held on computers.
Manjra was sentenced to a six months in prison, suspended for two years, and ordered to complete 150 hours of unpaid work.
However, the ICO pursued confiscation under Proceeds of Crime Act to ensure that people who profit from the unlawful use of personal information do not retain the benefits from their criminal activity. The order reflects the financial advantage the defendant gained through the illegal access and onward sale of personal information.
ICO head of investigations Andy Curry said: “This case sends a clear message: we will use all means available to us to make sure criminals face severe consequences for their actions.
“When people misuse personal information for their own benefit, we will not only prosecute them – we will also take action to strip them of any financial gain.
“People have a right to expect that their information is handled lawfully and responsibly. We will continue to use all the powers available to us to protect that fundamental legal right.”
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