PCSO Oguz Batmaz tipped off drug criminals

A police community support officer (PCSO) tipped off criminals about where cannabis was being grown and helped them evade detection, a court heard.

Oguz Batmaz, 27, part of the Mottingham and Chislehurst team in Bromley, south-east London, also supplied cocaine.

Southwark Crown Court heard he carried out hundreds of checks to tell criminals what data police had on them.

A two-day sentencing hearing for Batmaz, of Acacia Way, Sidcup, concludes on Friday.

Batmaz was placed under surveillance by the Metropolitan Police in 2010.

In CCTV released on Thursday he is heard calling people from police premises to tell them about the drugs.

Batmaz was placed under surveillance by the Metropolitan Police in 2010

The PCSO, who later resigned, was paid £5,000 to look for information for an associate using the police computer system, Crimint, said prosecutor David Durose.

He was also heard tipping off his accomplices about a cannabis factory discovered in Mayday Gardens in Blackheath.

On 7 April 2010, Batmaz told an accomplice: "The way I see it I'm doing boys a favour.

"Coming up on the system they're obviously going to get raided at one point so I'm just raiding them before they get raided."

He also spent time with Wayne Farrell, a convicted drug dealer who had failed to return from prison leave in 2009, for which Batmaz admitted wilful neglect of his duty to ensure a prisoner at large was returned to custody.

Batmaz admitted charges of conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office, conspiring to steal cannabis, supply cannabis and cocaine and wilfully neglecting to perform his duties.

Another PCSO, Nicholas Goodwin, was tried for conspiracy to commit misconduct in a public office by helping Batmaz but he was acquitted in February.

Seven other people have also been convicted with Batmaz for their part in the drugs conspiracy.

They will all be sentenced on Friday.