The memory stick also contained details of about 10, 000 persistent offenders, and 33, 000 records from the police national computer.

BBC: Home Office guilty of data breach

The lists have been drawn up based on information from the Police National Computer, which was first used in the 1970s.

BBC: A DNA autoradiogram

Officers can cross reference against the Police National Computer to find out if a person is wanted by police or the courts.

BBC: Birmingham & Black Country

In particular, the Home Office which was criticised for giving "apparently contradictory reasons" for not allowing the OFT routine access to the information contained in the police national computer and the Criminal Records Bureau.

BBC: Crooked lenders 'not being stopped'

Scotland Yard's paedophile unit does not have staff trained to use the police's Holmes national computer database.

BBC: Child protection police 'inadequate'

The director of Nicaragua's National Police described him as an expert at violating computer security systems.

CNN: Fugitive on 'Most Wanted' list returned to U.S.