Ex-Met officer sentenced over unlawful searches on police systems

The former officer also faces disciplinary proceedings

A former Metropolitan Police officer who used its computer systems to carry out illegal searches has avoided jail.

Mohammed Rahman, 39, looked up family members, addresses and car registrations and passed information on to third parties.

Rahman, of Maltings Close in Bow, east London, had pleaded guilty to seven counts of misconduct in public office.

At Southwark Crown Court on Friday, he was sentenced to 12 months in prison, suspended for two years.

Between October 2018 and February 2021, when he was arrested, Rahman had made unlawful searches on various databases on at least seven occasions.

He accessed information about himself, family members and other people he knew.

Rahman also carried out searches without a policing purpose on vehicle registration plates and addresses.

'Abused trust'

The former police constable was suspended from duty but has since resigned.

Rahman was charged in August following an investigation by the Met's Anti-Corruption and Abuse Command under the direction of the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).

He now faces disciplinary proceedings for breaching standards of professional behaviour, the IOPC said.

He also received 100 hours of community service and 20 days of rehabilitation activity,

IOPC director Steve Noonan said Rahman "abused the trust put in him as a police officer" and "his actions have the potential to damage the public's confidence in policing."

"Rahman has now been held to account and has faced the consequences of his actions."

Ch Supt Simon Crick said: "His actions did not meet the high standards we expect and we will now move to a misconduct hearing as soon as possible."

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