Penalties for a solicitor disclosing confidential information

Carawaystick

If a third solicitor was asked by the High court to hold sensitive personal information basically in escrow as part of a case between 2 parties, and disclosed it,
What penalties would apply?
I presume they'd be disbarred from practising, and there'd be contempt proceedings. But are there criminal penalties?

Victor

Data Protection Act. Constitutional invasion of privacy. Breach of copyright. Possibly a theft / fraud offence.

Depending on the data, there might be other offences, e.g. if I knew from the data that they were building up a shareholding in a listed company and I used that information, there might be a Companies Act offence.

Sala

And in Contempt of a high court order if one was made perhaps?

Carawaystick

Sala wrote: »

And in Contempt of a high court order if one was made perhaps?

And what's the worst penalty for contempt?
Can you be extradited for contempt?

Robbo

Carawaystick wrote: »

And what's the worst penalty for contempt?
Can you be extradited for contempt?

Jail and Peter Daragh Quinn are your two answers there.

Carawaystick

Robbo wrote: »

Jail

For how long though?
Especially if you've leaked info already, and the contempt can't be purged then.

Also does there need to be a mens rea for contempt?

What if sensitive private information was stolen/hacked from the third party solicitor?