If you do, you are unlikely to encounter any data protection problems. If you do not hold data on a computer or other structured filing system, you are not required to comply with data protection legislation, and this guidance is not relevant to you. However, you should endeavour to ensure that data are held securely and will not cause harm to any person. It is important to remember that not all information received may be true. The report may be mistaken, or may even be malicious.
Perpetrators have to be regarded as alleged perpetrators until they are convicted by a court.
People or organisations who are responsible for personal data under the terms of the Data Protection Act and hold it on computer have two main responsibilities - to notify the Data Protection Commissioner, and to observe the Data Protection Principles. This guidance deals with these two responsibilities in turn. It assumes that the only relevant data you hold are data which are requested in the Minimum Data Content form described in chapter 6 of the Code of Practice. If you hold the information requested on the Minimum Data Content form on computer, then you will need to notify the office of the Data Protection Commissioner. If you hold the information on paper rather than on computer, you do not need to notify, though you may choose to do so.