PC misconduct hearing over brother-in-law searches

An unnamed officer is accused of nine counts of using police systems improperly

A police constable has admitted carrying out searches on the West Mercia force's systems concerning his ex-brother-in-law who had a conviction, but said he did so with permission and for legitimate policing reasons.

The unnamed officer is accused of nine counts of using systems improperly between 2007 and 2018 at a misconduct hearing.

He divorced the mother of his two children in 2004, before joining the force, and in 2010 his ex-brother-in-law was jailed for raping children, the hearing was told.

A panel heard he had not known what the conviction was for, but accessed information in 2018.

Colin Banham, representing the officer, who cannot be named under a reporting restriction, said the officer "did not know his ex-brother-in-law" and "had not seen him for a number of years".

Terence Rigby, for West Mercia Police, said: "He accessed information contrary to force policy, regulations and data regulations.

"Officers are entitled to use police equipment for policing reasons, not out of curiosity or intention to provide the information to anyone else."

Surprise meeting

The Worcester panel heard the officer met his ex-brother-in-law by chance when the officer responded to an alleged incident in Malvern in March 2018.

The officer said his ex-brother-in-law, who he hadn't seen since 2002, opened the door, adding: "I was as surprised to see him as he was to see me."

He said he informed his sergeant, adding: "I knew that he had gone to prison but I did not know what for. I accessed the information under the direction of the sergeant."

A retired sergeant told the hearing he could not remember details of conversations between 2007 and 2018.

The officer produced a signed notebook with details of his last search in March 2018. The panel heard the constabulary could not find other notebooks.

The Worcester panel heard the officer met his ex-brother-in-law by chance

It wasn't until the hearing the officer knew his brother-in-law had been released in 2015, the panel heard.

The officer said he had been in contact with his ex-wife regarding their children and had been using information to provide intelligence to other officers amid safeguarding concerns.

In 2018, he was working with a Mosovo (Management of Sexual Offenders and Violent offenders) team.

He said he received an online data protection course during initial training in 2005.

The first time he became aware of a "notifiable association form" was in 2023, during refresher training, and was told to fill one in, prompting the investigation.

The hearing continues.

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service, which covers councils and other public service organisations.