Does the U.K have laws against this kind of thing. In America the constitution would make doing something like this highly illegal and the victim would have full backing of the if he/she tried to prosecute the cops. Im not sure if the U.K has a constitution but if doing things like that is legal that that constitution must be deeply flawed. U.S presidents in the past have been impeached from office for simply wire taping a room but since poor Obama is black they wont do anything about him spying on millions of Americans.
Thats exactly the excuse that allows governments to strip our freedoms from us. We are doing this to protect you. We are taking your guns from you to protect you. The NSA is spying on you to protect you. There police force now has tanks to protect you. Do you see how that kind of excuse is dangerous? When ever governments strip freedoms from the people its always to protect them.