Laptop is stolen from city court

A laptop computer holding information about convicted criminals has been stolen from a magistrates' court.

The theft from the Victoria Law Courts, Birmingham, was reported on 14 January, West Midlands Police said.

Her Majesty's Courts Service (HMCS) said it was stolen from an office at the court over the Christmas period.

The HMCS spokesman said that most of the information was "already in the public domain" and it did not include details of victims or witnesses.

He said police were investigating the theft from the court.

He added: "While this theft is regrettable, the majority of the information held on the laptop is already in the public domain and relates only to individuals that have received a criminal conviction and have failed to comply with the orders of the court."

Last month a Ministry of Defence laptop was stolen from a car in Birmingham.

The laptop, which contained details of more than 600,000 people interested in joining the armed forces, was stolen from a Royal Navy officer in Edgbaston on 9 January.