A police detective could face jail after illegally accessing logs about a close male friend and three women.

Det insp Emma Gardner, 46, of North Wales Police, passed information on to the man who had been a bouncer and accessed police logs related to him.

She had denied unauthorised access to computer material in 2022 but a jury found her guilty after a trial.

Judge Timothy Petts warned her that offences like these were “treated very seriously” and while custody is not the only option, it will be “uppermost in my mind”.

Gardner joined the force in 2000 and had various roles including with the Protecting Vulnerable People Unit.

Caernarfon Crown Court heard she had passed information to the bouncer when she was previously an officer in Rhyl, Denbighshire.

The pair had become Facebook friends and had sex twice, the jury heard.

Prosecutor Andrew Scott said the detective had accessed logs involving “a relatively minor complaint” and “tittle-tattle” relating to her male friend, which was being dealt with by uniformed officers.

In one message, she said: “I have my uses.”

The officer insisted she had not viewed the logs because of her relationship with him.

“I believe every access was for a policing purpose,” Gardner said.

She was bailed on Wednesday 8 July so a pre-sentence report could be made.

But Judge Petts told her: “These sorts of offences by serving officers are treated very seriously.

“I am not saying custody is the only option, but it’s going to be uppermost in my mind.”

Gardner will be sentenced in early September.

Det Chief Constable Nigel Harrison said: “We acknowledge the decision of the jury.

“The officer has been suspended whilst the criminal case was ongoing, and we will now progress with misconduct proceedings following today’s verdict.”