Police probe data leaks in Rangers tax case

[pete 2,499]

A POLICE investigation is under way into alleged breaches of the Data Protection Act in connection with the Rangers tax case.

 

Strathclyde Police confirmed a probe is ongoing and follows calls for the matter to be looked into.

 

Last year former Rangers chairman Sir David Murray called for a police investigation into the suspected leaking of confidential information to an award-winning BBC Scotland documentary about the Rangers tax case.

 

Details of payments to former managers, players and other staff were featured in the documentary Rangers â?? The Men Who Sold The Jerseys and on a number of websites, including the anonymous Rangers Tax Case blog.

 

The businessmanâ??s call came after he expressed concern about the level of information linked to the HMRC tax tribunal that was made public prior to a ruling in the oldco clubâ??s favour.

 

He was specifically targeted after the BBC named him as the chief beneficiary of the controversial Employee Benefit Trust, the subject of the HMRC investigation, following a tax-free payment of £6.3 million. More than 12,000 people had signed an e-petition calling on the UK Government to launch a probe into HMRCâ??s investigation and the suspected leaks.

 

Sir Davidâ??s Murray International Holdings (MIH), which was the majority shareholder in Rangers until Craig Whyte bought the club in May 2011, said in a statement at the time that individuals had an expectation of privacy when it came to correspondence and matters relating to financial affairs.

 

A spokesman from MIH said that there were only three potential sources of the complete set of documentation used in the BBC broadcast: â??MIHâ??s head office, the First Tier Tax Tribunal and HMRC.â?

 

A police spokeswoman said: â??Following instructions from the Crown Office Procurator Fiscal Service, an investigation is ongoing into alleged breaches of the Data Protection Act and police inquiries are ongoing. It would be inappropriate to comment further at this time.â?

 

Former Rangers Supporters Trust Stephen Smith welcomed the developments.

 

He said: â??This news is long overdue. If there has been a breach of confidential information, then we are looking for someone to appear in court.â?

 

I couldn't see this posted before. Excellent news.

[pete 2,499]

By Dailyrecord.co.uk

 

'Confidential leaks' relating to Rangers tax case being probed by police

19 Mar 2013 19:10

 

OFFICERS are looking into suspicions that private details surrounding the Ibrox club's case were released in breach of the law.

Ibrox stadium Ibrox stadium

Getty Images

 

POLICE are investigating the alleged leaking of confidential information relating to the Rangers tax case.

 

Strathclyde Police said officers had been instructed to look into suspicions that private details were released in breach of the law.

 

The former Rangers club known as "Oldco" was investigated last year over its use of Employee Benefit Trusts (EBTs).

 

The side effectively won the case after a tribunal ruled that some payments made to players through EBTs were taxable but that many of them could be described as loans, as the club had argued.

 

An appeal has been lodged by Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC).

 

The probe centred on the period 2000-2011, during Sir David Murray's stewardship of the club.

 

The former chairman said in November he had instructed legal advisors to submit a complaint to the Crown Office regarding the publication of information relating to his tax affairs.

 

The firm Levy & McRae said in a statement: "He has asked that this matter is investigated and that anyone found guilty of breaching the law is the subject of prosecution."

 

A police spokeswoman said today: "Following instructions from the Crown Office, an investigation is ongoing into the circumstances surrounding the alleged leaking of confidential information relating to the Rangers tax case.

 

"It would be inappropriate to comment further at this time."

[BlueMazza 0]

Good, although I wonder if it will actually dig up those involved.

[Frankie 8,170]

This has been ongoing for a while apparently.

[bigy 0]

I seen the BBC Douglas Frasers tweet on this last night, basically insinuating that Murray had got his wish and forced this. Was absolutely disgraceful.

[Davie P 4]

'More than 12,000 people had signed an e-petition calling on the UK Government to launch a probe into HMRC’s investigation and the suspected leaks.'

 

When I signed it, there were already 32,000 who had signed! Funny how they lost 20,000 people in the telling of the story! We also lost 15,000 or near enough supporters who attended the QP game as well!

[pete 2,499]

'More than 12,000 people had signed an e-petition calling on the UK Government to launch a probe into HMRC’s investigation and the suspected leaks.'

 

When I signed it, there were already 32,000 who had signed! Funny how they lost 20,000 people in the telling of the story! We also lost 15,000 or near enough supporters who attended the QP game as well!

 

Number of signatures:

39,674

[Zappa 0]

Good, although I wonder if it will actually dig up those involved.

 

Somehow I doubt it.

[Guest nvager]

You never know - must be some reason they decided to go ahead with it.

[ian1964 10,429]

Leggat

 

 

THE RECORD, MARK DALY AND THE POLICE PROBE INTO TAX LEAKS

 

THE hack pack will soon have to find a new nickname for the Celtic-linked Daily Record of Allan Rennie, Kevin Mansi, Keith Jackson and David McCarthy.

 

The old one of the Day-late Record is now well past its sell by date. How about the Month-late Record?

 

I pose the question because of an out of date story which seemed so new, so fresh, so up-to-date to rabid Celtic fan Kevin Mansi’s news department at the Record that they deemed it to be worth a place on page one of the fast fading rag.

 

Though there is no record of rabid Celtic fan Mansi foaming at the mouth and screaming anything about a f*****g Goverment conspiracy...

 

This time!

 

Yet readers of LeggoLand knew all about the Record's stale front page story as far back as Tuesday February 12th. Come to think of it, that’s more than a week longer than a month, so even the Month-late Record isn’t quite accurate.

 

The tale I broke was that the police investigation about the illegal leaks from HMRC regarding the confidential tax business of Rangers was under way. This followed a complaint by David Murray’s lawyers, Levy McCrae to the Crown Office. I made the point that the police probe would have extra teeth and be given even more power than normal, as it was under the direction of the Crown Office and the Procurator Fiscal’s office.

 

At the time I made the point that one person who would most certainly be grilled by senior detectives would be BBC Scotland’s investigative reporter Mark Daly, who was privy to much of this confidential information.

 

Word got back to me that Daly had been rubbishing my report and that he even speculated on whether or not I had any source passing me any information.

 

Well he kens the truth of the matter now.

 

Levy and McCrae, have been quoted and have confirmed that that investigation is ongoing. Not, you will notice, that the police probe has started. For it had done that just before I lifted the lid on it on February 12th. Just that it is ongoing.

 

The wheels of justice grind exceedingly slow and this is one police investigation which will be painstaking. Officers from Stewart Street, where those with special internet skills are based, will no doubt plot their way through a labyrinth in an effort to find the source of the anonymous Rangers Tax Case blog.

 

That may prove to be a laborious task and they may even need to enlist the aid of the FBI should the host be found to be based in America. But such a combined UK-US-Law Enforcement Special Relationship tie-up is not unknown in the internet age and I have personal knowledge of at least one such previous occasion when the Feds were called in.

 

Of course it may not have to come to Transatlantic cooperation. Not if Mark Daly spills the beans. Which some may believe he will have to, in order to cut some sort of to avoid prosecution.

 

For if police discover that the confidential tax info about Rangers was obtained illegally by BBC Scotland man Daly, then he could face charges. And Daly should not think the public interest defence which ensured the Daily Telegraph escaped prosecution for publishing the details of MPs’ theft through expenses, details which had been stolen and given to the paper, will work for BBC Scotland and for him.

 

The difference in the two stories, both based on illegally obtained information, is contained in the word “in.” What the Daily Telegraph did was “in” the public interest. Daly and BBC Scotland’s story was merely one which was of interest to the public.

 

Way back in February, I speculated that when senior police officers spoke to Mark Daly he may well be questioned under caution. That remains a possibility.

 

The Rangers Tax Case clearly broke the law. Two laws, actually. One relating to the Data Protection Act and another involving the illegal breaching of tax confidentiality. Therefore, when the person or persons behind the Rangers Tax Case Blog are unmasked, they will be arrested.

 

Whether or not BBC Scotland’s Mark Daly is also lifted, is something I will be keeping a close eye on.

 

Should any of his pals at the Record want to know what’s happening, then all they have to do is read LeggoLand.