Staffordshire police officer faces sack after misusing computer
A police officer is facing the sack after she was convicted of using force computer systems to look up her neighbours, ex-husband and partner's family.
Staffordshire Pc Michelle Denne claimed to use the police database to protect her three children, Birmingham Magistrates' Court heard yesterday.
Over six years, she used it to obtain information on neighbours and alleged historic disputes involving her ex-husband..
She also researched the family of a new partner she was living with.
Appearing at Birmingham Crown Court yesterday, Denne, 44, of Tarragona Drive, Stafford, was given a six-month community order which included a 10-day rehabilitation course.
The court heard how it was 'highly likely' she will also lose her job at a special case hearing held by the force in under two weeks.
Sentencing her, District Judge Joanne Dickens said: "You don't need me to tell you how serious this is. It is not just a breach of data protection, you accessed data for your own purposes, it breached your duty as a police officer."
Mrs Amy Davies, prosecuting, said the offences took place over seven years, starting on February 12 and then April 9 in 2010, when she used the police database to check on neighbours.
Eight months later, on December 22, she checked the systems again, this time to look on the visitor to a neighbour's home she was concerned about.
She logged on to get an update on a complaint she had made over a vehicle near her home address on June 25 in 2015.
On her ex-husband, she did checks on December 6 in 2016 on two disputes he allegedly had with his neighbours.
And, finally, on March 17 last year, she used the force computer system to look into the family of a partner she was living with.
In police interview, Mrs Davies said Denne admitted to checking up on the family, claiming 'it was more so out of curiosity and nosiness'.
Miss Michelle Heeley QC, defending, said of the offences: "This was foolish and not malicious."
She said her client had used the computers in a bid to 'safeguard her children'.
Denne has served as a police officer for 20 years. She is currently suspended.
Miss Heeley added: "Once there is a criminal conviction a special case hearing takes place, within the next 14 days.
"It will be highly likely there will be immediate sacking for gross misconduct."
Having not reached 30 years' service, Denne, if dismissed, will lose a chunk of her pension.
At a hearing earlier this month she pleaded guilty to six counts of offences under the Computer Misuse Act.
