Sex offenders want evidence as 'prison trophies'

Police fear sex offenders could take advantage of information access laws to obtain evidence of their crimes to use as prison cell trophies.

Senior officials said rapists, sex offenders and paedophiles are increasingly using data legislation to try and make forces hand over sensitive documents.

They are fighting one case in which a jailed rapist wants to obtain an original copy of witness statements made by his victim.

Another police force has successfully fought off a request by a suspected child abuser for video footage of interviews with his alleged victim.

Applications for information have been made under subject access requests contained in the Data Protection Act.

Former Hampshire deputy chief constable Ian Readhead said he fears some applications have been made for "voyeuristic" reasons.