Police Use Of Facial Recognition Technology Is "A Bit Ad Hoc" Court Hears

23 May 2019, 17:17

Police have deployed the controversial technology across the UK
Police have deployed the controversial technology across the UK. Picture: PA

Police are making up their own rules when it comes to facial recognition technology, a court has heard.

The landmark legal challenge issued by Ed Bridges from Cardiff who claims South Wales police violated his privacy and data protection rights.

Mr Bridges claimed the police used the technology on him when he went to buy a sandwich on during his lunch break and when he attended a peaceful anti-arms demonstration.

Mr Bridges said the incident caused him "distress."

Jeremy Johnson QC, for South Wales Police , said the force’s use was justified as it deterred people from carrying out crime, and information of a person’s face is not stored unless police already have the image of a known individual in their "watchlist."

A barrister for the Information Commissioner said that a legal framework should be drawn up for use of the technology, saying there was a lack of clarity on how the force compiled its watchlist of individuals, and in what circumstances it should be deployed.

Police in London have trailed the technology.
Police in London have trailed the technology. Picture: PA

The Minority Report-style technology scans all the faces in a crowd and then compares them against a database of images, which can include suspects, missing people or persons of interest to the police. 

The controversial cameras have been used by police to scan faces in large crowds in public places such as streets, shopping centres, football crowds and music events such as the Notting Hill carnival.

Mr Facenna said: "There is serious doubt whether the legal framework is sufficient.

"It's all a bit ad hoc. There's nothing sufficiently precise and specific."

Mr Facenna also questioned whether people should be able to refuse to be scanned in public after a man was fined for disorderly conduct after covering his face while passing a police van during a Metropolitan Police trial in London.

Dan Squires QC, representing Mr Bridges, told the final day of the hearing at the Administrative Court in Cardiff that AFR had given the police "extraordinary power", and said there were questions over whether there was sufficient legal protection against the "arbitrary and disproportionate use" of the scanning technology by police.

He said: "The police say that information is not retained for those not on their watch list.

"But it is not a legal requirement.

"The risk is if AFR can be used routinely across cities through CCTV cameras.

"The way South Wales Police have operated to date has been responsible and limited. But none of that comes from the law. That comes from self-restraint.

"Our submission is there should be a code of conduct."

The Right Honourable Lord Justice Haddon-Cave adjourned judgment for a later date, thanking parties for their submissions on "novel and potentially far-ranging issues".

More Latest News

See more More Latest News

Breaking
Breaking News

WhatsApp goes down for thousands as users unable to send or receive messages

Chithra Vanmeeganathan died in crash involving a No 395 single-decker bus, a car, and other pedestrians.

Pictured: Woman, 46, who died in horror London bus crash

The Gaza documentary has already been pulled from iPlayer

Counter-terror police 'assessing' BBC's controversial Gaza documentary

England's Jos Buttler, who has announced he will step down as England's white-ball captain after Saturday's clash with South Africa

Jos Buttler steps down as captain of England’s white-ball cricket team after Champions Trophy exit

Attackers broke into a man's home on Lipson Road, Plymouth, before covering him in acid in a savage assault.

Man doused in acid after savage attackers break into his Plymouth home - as thugs still at large

Gene Hackman with Betsy Arakawa

Chilling 911 call reveals moment distressed caretaker discovers Gene Hackman and wife's body

A police officer holding a suspect in handcuffs.  Focus on the hand and cuffs

25 arrested as part of global crackdown on AI-generated child sex abuse images

Omar Wilson, 31, repeatedly punched and kicked Mussie Imnetu outside a restaurant in west London last summer.

'Monster' who beat 'defenceless' top chef to death during Notting Hill Carnival jailed for 18 years

Riot police officers take cover from molotov cocktails thrown by demonstrators as clashes break out during a rally as part of a general strike called by unions to mark the second anniversary of the country's worst rail tragedy

Protesters throw petrol bombs and police hit back with tear gas as demonstration in Greece descends into violence

Actor Gene Hackman with wife Betsy Arakawa in June 1993. (AP Photo)

Everything we know so far about the deaths of Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa

Heston Blumenthal

TV chef Heston Blumenthal says wife sectioning him was 'best thing' to happen - as he opens up about bipolar diagnosis

Lloyds Bank, Halifax, Nationwide and First Direct customers are all suffering issues

Major bank apps including Lloyds, Halifax and Nationwide go down sparking payday chaos

Exclusive
Wes Streeting has said the BBC is in a 'terrible mess' over the Gaza documentary

BBC is in 'a terrible mess', says Streeting - as TV bosses apologise for for 'serious flaws' in Gaza documentary

Chef Claudia Lawrence vanished in 2009 in North Yorkshire

Dogwalker 'saw' rucksack of missing chef Claudia Lawrence in tree stump - in bombshell new claim

Rescuers searching for the two missing Russian scuba divers at Verde Island

Tourist found dead with arm ripped off after shark attack - as another diver drowns after losing scuba group

Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa

Gene Hackman's wife found 'part-mummified' and 'surrounded by pills' as mystery of reclusive couple's deaths grows