Ex-PC Convicted For Illegal Use Of Police Computers

18 September 2013, 13:24 | Updated: 18 September 2013, 13:29

An ex-Bognor police officer's admitted illegally accessing Sussex Police computers to get information on people he knew.

Thomas Grant of Stroud Green Drive in the town was a PC based at Bognor Regis Police Station at the time and after being arrested was suspended from duty.

He was arrested in March after an investigation by officers from the force's Professional Standards Department into the misuse of Sussex Police computer systems.

The 25-year-old had been using the systems to research the details of several personal acquaintances in Bognor Regis.

Grant resigned from the force at the beginning of September prior to his trial.

Grant pleaded guilty at Brighton Magistrates' Court on Tuesday 17 September to an offence of breaching the Data Protection Act. He was fined £800.

Detective Sergeant Niall Moloney said:

"The misuse of force computers or systems by either officers or staff for anything other than a policing purpose is totally unacceptable and is not tolerated by Sussex Police.

"Any allegation of this kind is investigated thoroughly.

"Members of the public can be assured that their details are safe with us. Anyone who attempts to undermine that confidence will be dealt with swiftly and robustly."