Police (Northern Ireland) Act 1998

63 Restriction on disclosure of information

(1) No information received by a person to whom this subsection applies in connection with any of the functions of the Ombudsman under this Part shall be disclosed by any person who is or has been a person to whom this subsection applies except—

(a) to a person to whom this subsection applies;

(b) to the Secretary of State;

(c) to other persons in or in connection with the exercise of any function of the Ombudsman;

(d) for the purposes of any criminal, civil or disciplinary proceedings; or

(e) in the form of a summary or other general statement made by the Ombudsman which—

(i) does not identify the person from whom the information was received; and

(ii) does not, except to such extent as the Ombudsman thinks necessary in the public interest, identify any person to whom the information relates.

(2) Subsection (1) applies to—

(a) the Ombudsman; and

(b) an officer of the Ombudsman.

(3) Any person who discloses information in contravention of this section shall be guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale.