RAC manager, 33, avoids jail after she swindled up to £25,000 by selling data to injury claims firm

A corrupt RAC worker who pocketed up to £25,000 selling customers’ addresses and phone numbers to a personal injury claims firm has been spared jail. 

RAC manager Kim Doyle, 33, leaked the personal data of 4,570 RAC customers to make ‘easy money’.

She secretly collated a list of clients from across the UK who had been involved in road traffic accidents before passing on the confiential information.

This was used by the firm of ambulance chasers to plague RAC customers with nuisance calls claiming they could get compensation.  

The scam went on for six months until RAC were alerted to the repeated calls from a driver who had once had their vehicle towed by the company following an accident.   

RAC investigators scanned their mailboxes to look for the victim’s data and found his registration and mobile numbers in Kim Doyle’s inbox. 

She has since lost her job at the RAC

RAC manager Kim Doyle, 33, was spared jail and handed a suspended sentence at Minshull Street Crown Court after court heard she sold personal data from 4,570 RAC customers to a personal injuries claims company

They then found lists of road traffic accident data including partial names of members, mobile phone numbers and registration numbers stored in draft emails.

Doyle later admitted she did it to make ‘easy money’ with inquiries revealing £13,500 had been transferred into her bank account. 

Investigators believe she made £25,000 from the racket.

At Minshull Street Crown Court, Manchester Doyle of Worsley, near Salford, faced jail after she admitted conspiracy to unlawfully access and sell data.

But she was given eight months imprisonment suspended for two years after a judge said she was ‘hard working member of the community.’ 

Doyle, who worked as a performance manageress at the RAC, has since lost her job and is now working at a KwikFit garage.

Company director William Shaw, 33, of Urmston, was also given eight months suspended for two years after admitting similar offences under the Computer Misuse Act 1990.

She sold the data to William Shaw, 33, of Urmston. The company director, who bombarded customers with nuisance calls, was also given eight months suspended for two years

She sold the data to William Shaw, 33, of Urmston. The company director, who bombarded customers with nuisance calls, was also given eight months suspended for two years

He made £15,000 from the racket whilst running Leeds-based accident management firm TMS Stratosphere which traded as LIS Claims.

The court heard the scam began after Doyle came into contact with Shaw when she was putting together a network of motor industry contacts.

Miss Aaminah Khan, prosecuting for the Information Commissioners Office, said: ‘In March 2018 the ICO received a complaint from the RAC.

‘A man who had been driving a Lloyds pharmacy vehicle received numerous calls asking him whether he wanted to pursue a personal injury complaint. He suspected data had been taken from the RAC.’

When the RAC scanned their mailboxes to look for the victim’s data, they found his registration and mobile numbers in Kim Doyle’s inbox. 

It was hidden in draft emails under disguised subject headers alongside the data from scores of other customers. 

When investigators took Doyle’s mobile, which allowed access to her work emails from home, they discovered numerous deleted WhatsApp messages between Doyle and Shaw. 

Doyle swindled up to £25,000 from the racket and has been ordered to pay back the amount by the court. She faces three months' imprisonment if the money is not paid by April

Doyle swindled up to £25,000 from the racket and has been ordered to pay back the amount by the court. She faces three months’ imprisonment if the money is not paid by April

Miss Khan added: ‘WhatsApp conversations were found about the sale of data between 15 October 2017- 15 March 2018 of 734 messages related to 4,570 RAC customers. 

‘Kim Doyle provided bank account information to William Shaw so money could be paid to her for passing on the data, and £13,500 was found to have been transferred.

‘Mr Shaw later said he… believed she was selling legitimate data.’ 

Doyle admitted she had been accessing data and passing it on to a third party.

In mitigation Doyle’s lawyer Ian Whitehurst said: ‘It was greedy as she was not in financial difficulties and made what she thought was easy money.

‘She does accept how serious her offending was and it was out of character for her. 

‘She has lost her good name and many friends through her greed and stupidity. She is extremely embarrassed and ashamed.’  

Shaw and Doyle were also each ordered to complete 100 hours unpaid work and pay £1,000 in costs. 

Doyle must also pay back £25,000 and Shaw will have to pay back £15,000 under the terms of a Confiscation Order. 

Both face three months’ imprisonment if the money is not paid by April.