Officer who gave information to gang avoids jail

Adam Davies, seen here at a previous hearing, wept in court as he was sentenced after admitting four counts of misconduct in a public office

An "immature" and "naïve" former police officer cried in court as he was spared prison after passing police information to members of an organised crime gang.

Adam Davies, 30, who was an officer with Surrey Police, admitted four counts of misconduct in a public office.

He was given a two year prison sentence, suspended for two years, at Southwark Crown Court on Thursday.

Judge Tony Baumgartner said Davies gave information to the criminals "for kudos" instead of financial benefit, branding it a "stupid thing to do".

While searching a missing elderly man's house on 10 October 2020, Davies could be heard on a video "mocking and praising" the man for owning pornographic DVDs, Judge Baumgartner said.

"There was no policing purpose for you to film in the vulnerable man's home as you did," the judge said.

The video was discovered after an associate of Davies, a member of an organised crime group, was arrested and his phone was seized after a large quantity of cocaine was found in man's vehicle.

Judge Baumgartner said Davies was then "fishing for information" about the man's arrest, which formed another charge.

The court heard that a message exchange was discovered on the man's phone on 10 October in which Davies said: "We should go into business, all the seized stock I take."

Prosecutor Szilvia Booker said it was accepted that Davies, of Farnham, was "joking" in the message.

In a separate incident on 6 November 2020, Davies was asked to investigate Hone Gym, in Godalming, for being open during lockdown.

Davies said in a crime report he had told the gym of Covid guidelines, when in reality he had "made it clear he had no intention of closing the gym down" and tried to warn them that police would be attending, Ms Booker said.

He also admitted disclosing to his partner's brother that a prisoner had been released in March 2020.

Judge Baumgartner said it was an "exceptional case" with an "absence of profit, corruption, or actual harm" in most of the offending by the "immature" defendant.

Sentencing Davies, Judge Baumgartner said: "You provided police information to those criminal associates and wilfully neglected your police duties.

"Your immaturity and naivety led you to act in such a stupid and unprofessional way. It was not out of corruption or out of malice.

"You appeared to think that impressing your criminal associates was more important than your public office as a police officer."

Mitigating, Kevin Baumber said Davies was "extremely sorry" and there was "no element of profit".

Mr Baumber added: "He has pursued a similar line of work in loss prevention, but with the utmost integrity, skill and practical results."

Independent Office for Police Conduct director Emily Barry said: "Adam Davies's actions were corrupt and criminal. We expect the police to clamp down on criminal activity, not assist criminals.

"He abused his position of power in a complete betrayal of the public's trust and such behaviour has no place in policing."

Davies, who joined Surrey Police in May 2017, was ordered to undertake 180 hours of unpaid work and a rehabilitation activity requirement of up to 10 days.