Met Police red-faced after huge email gaffe identifies Westminster honeypot trap victims

The Met Police said officers would be 'reaching out to those impacted to personally apologise' after an email sent by the force inadvertently named victims of the Westminster honeytrap scandal

The Metropolitan Police has apologised after an embarrassing email gaffe accidentally identified victims of the 'Westminster honeytrap' scandal.

The email, sent by the force on Friday to victims of the investigation, inadvertently included the names of all recipients in the CC field - meaning they were visible to anyone who received the email. This was instead of the email addresses being entered into the BCC field, which would have kept them private.

The email is understood to have been a routine update to the investigation, which is centred around an alleged blackmail plot against MPs. A Met spokesperson said the email was sent "in error" and confirmed police officers would be making personal apologies to those affected. A referral has now been made to the Information Commissioner's Office, which regulates the use of data by public bodies.

The Met Police spokesperson said: “An email relating to an ongoing investigation was sent in error today. We recognise the impact on those involved and apologise sincerely for any distress. A referral to the Information Commissioner's Office has been made and we await advice on next steps. Officers will be reaching out to those impacted to personally apologise and provide reassurance.”

One of the alleged victims identified in the email told the BBC: "It’s infuriating to have your personal details released in this way. It will make me think twice about reporting anything to the Met again."

Police launched an investigation into the Westminster Honeypot scandal this year after several MPs and staff were contacted by a mystery figure who tried to get them to send explicit images in a potential blackmail plot. In April, former Tory MP William Wragg admitted giving out fellow politicians' phone numbers to the suspected perpetrator on the gay dating app Grindr. Mr Wragg disclosed that the individual "had compromising things on me" and had repeatedly asked him for information.

More MPs, including members of both Conservative and Labour parties, were subsequently barraged with flirty texts by someone asserting to be named either "Charlie" or "Abi." Parliamentary staffers and journalists also reported recieving the messages. Speaking at the time, Alicia Kearns, former chair of the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee, said the messages could be the work of foreign spies. Tory MP Bob Seely told Newsnight that the plot was "crude enough to be the Russians," adding that "the Chinese tend to be more sophisticated."