Bad boy in blue fined for abusing his access privileges

A Metropolitan Police constable has admitted to three tech-related breaches of the Police Code of Conduct at a misconduct hearing.

The allegations the unnamed man faced made reference to "unauthorised transactions and searches of criminal records and criminal intelligence databases" and also to the "unauthorised disclosure of confidential information" to a county court, according to a statement issued today by the Police Complaints Authority (PCA).

Some of the database searches related to the officer's previous partner and were conducted at a time when he was seeking access to their daughter. The other searches related to his mother and his mother-in-law.

The Police Complaints Authority (PCA) required the Met to take disciplinary action against the officer for the breaches of the Code of Conduct.

PCA member Marcus Williams said in a statement: "The misuse of confidential electronic data is something which is regarded with great concern. It is particularly worrying when the person involved is a police officer and the data comes from confidential criminal records and criminal intelligence databases. While the stress of a domestic dispute may explain the officer's actions, it does not mitigate them or exonerate him."

He added: "From the Authority's inception, it has warned officers against misusing data... Data on police computers must remain confidential and not be used for private purposes."