Homes searched in probe into leak of Matt Hancock CCTV footage

Officials from the UK’s data watchdog have searched two homes and seized computers as part of the disgraced Matt Hancock investigation.

Two homes have been searched and computers have been seized as the UK’s data watchdog investigates the leak of CCTV footage of former health secretary Matt Hancock kissing a department aide.

Two addresses in the south of England have been raided today, Thursday, July 15, with personal equipment and other devices being seized, according to the Information Commissioner’s Office.

The investigation follows a complaint made by EMCOR Group, which provides CCTV services for the Department of Health and Social Care. Since the footage of Hancock and the aide was released on June 25, they have alleged that the images were taken from the CCTV without consent.

Hancock has now resigned as health secretary after he admitted breaking Covid rules that he designed and imposed.

Steve Eckersley, the ICO’s director of investigations, said: “It’s vital that all people, which includes the employees of government departments and members of the public who interact with them, have trust and confidence in the protection of their personal data.

“In these circumstances, the ICO aims to react swiftly and effectively to investigate where there is a risk that other people may have unlawfully obtained personal data.

“We have an ongoing investigation and will not be commenting further until it is concluded,” Sky News reports.

It was claimed by The Department of Health and Social Care that the CCTV camera in Hancock’s office was put there as part of renovations that were carried out in 2017.

However, Hancock became health secretary in 2018 and did not know the camera has been installed. It has since been said that the department has disabled the camera.

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