R (L) v Comr of Police of the Metropolis

This case refers to a UK judicial review proceeding, specifically R (L) v Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis, a significant case concerning the retention of police records and the protection of privacy rights.

The case typically involves an individual, identified as 'L', bringing a legal challenge against the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis (the head of the Metropolitan Police in London) regarding the policies and practices of retaining personal data, particularly arrest records and custody images, even when the individual has not been convicted of a crime.

The core legal arguments often revolve around Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which guarantees the right to respect for private and family life. The claimant argues that the indiscriminate retention of sensitive personal data by the police infringes upon this right.

The court's decision in such a case seeks to balance the individual's right to privacy with the police's legitimate interest in retaining information for crime prevention, detection, and prosecution. The judgment often provides guidance on the criteria the police should use when deciding whether to retain or delete records relating to individuals who have not been convicted of any offense.

The outcome of cases like R (L) v Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis can have significant implications for police data retention policies and the extent to which the state can hold information about individuals. It is considered a key case in the development of data protection law in the UK, particularly in the context of law enforcement.