Papers that included sensitive military details were discovered littered across a Newcastle street, according to a report by BBC News. The documents, which seemed to have spilled out of a black bin bag that burst open, contained confidential information such as soldiers’ ranks, emails, shift patterns, and even details about weapon access and an intruder detection system.
The discovery was made by Mike Gibbard, a football fan from Gateshead, on 16 March. He came across the documents while parking his car in the Scotswood area, ahead of watching Newcastle United’s Wembley match. According to Gibbard, the documents were scattered under cars, on the road, and even piled up against a wall in a torn black bag. Describing the find as “crazy,” he noticed the papers detailed information ranging from high-ranking officers’ contact details to patrol routines and weapon checks.
Some of the documents carried the header “official-sensitive,” which, as per government guidelines, marks information that could result in threats to life if mishandled. Information security consultant Gary Hibberd highlighted the significant risks posed by such a breach, warning that individuals named in the documents could face harassment or coercion via social media.
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has since launched an internal investigation into the incident, treating it as a matter of urgency. The MoD received the documents after Gibbard reported them to Northumbria Police, who handed over the papers. While details of the investigation remain confidential, a Downing Street spokesperson assured that appropriate actions would be taken in response to any potential data breach.
