what happened to data protection?

So recently someone approched my misus about a case she was invovled in aborad.  The case was years ago but the accused has just been caught.. anyway my misus is a witness.  so some guys passed her a letter in her work basically asking her not to turn up to court, which is outside uk. contacted the police but they cant do anything as its overseas,they were pretty cold actually. 
 
So got me thinking how did they know where she worked so i typed her name in and was amazed at what i could find out just by typing it into google.  i could find out where she worked and lived and even where i workd and lived as we both registered at same addrss.. its worrying to know if you sign on the electral role anyone can find you whenever.  surely there must be some restrcitions on who can get this information?
 
my misus is scared to go to work now!

Data protection is a joke, IME.
 
You can find out just about anything about anyone with a bit of intelligent googling...  but phone up your own bank or credit card company and cant remember your password and suddenly 'data protection ' doesnt allow them to talk to you...

what i dont get is the information was availible for companies to buy and sell for profit,,,,,how is that legal??

Was it somewhere outside the EU?
we have some of the tighest controls on the EU, with even more inforement comming into law to protect us.
Sure you can get some easy info, but I would happily as anyone here to gain access to money accounts etc.

yes was in EU..  im just amazed you can type someones name in with no skill and find where they live

That was always possible, so your talking about a phonebook really

I guess so lol
 
but i dont have a land line so i wdnt be in phon book? 

and you can always ask to be ex directory

when registering on the electoral role you can opt to have the information kept private so that it isnt searchable and available to third parties out with govt and credit checking etc. Telco goes ex-directory and never use your real name anywhere on the internet and you will have a very very small digital footprint that you would have to know what you were doing to find using google.