Pearson also persuaded an employee from Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) to hand over his Employee Identity Number, and then misrepresented himself in order to find out about a customer of HMRC.
He was fined a total of £6,250 for Data Protection Act offences and ordered to pay a further £600 costs by Brent Magistrates Court.
Philip Taylor, a solicitor with the Information Commissioner’s Office, said: “We are very pleased with the outcome of this case – these are very serious offences, and the fines awarded by Brent magistrates recognise that."
Pearson and his co-director, Alan McInerney, also pleaded guilty to an offence under the Act relating to the non-notification of Pearmac Ltd. Mr McInerney was fined £500, and ordered to pay £150 costs. The company was also fined £750 and ordered to pay £150 costs.
