\n<\/p>\n
A police detective could face jail after illegally accessing logs about a close male friend and three women.<\/b><\/p>\n
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. <\/p>\n
She had denied unauthorised access to computer material in 2022 but a jury found her guilty after a trial. <\/p>\n
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”.<\/p>\n
Gardner joined the force in 2000 and had various roles including with the Protecting Vulnerable People Unit.<\/p>\n
Caernarfon Crown Court heard she had passed information to the bouncer when she was previously an officer in Rhyl, Denbighshire. <\/p>\n
The pair had become Facebook friends and had sex twice, the jury heard. <\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
In one message, she said: “I have my uses.”<\/p>\n
The officer insisted she had not viewed the logs because of her relationship with him. <\/p>\n
“I believe every access was for a policing purpose,” Gardner said. <\/p>\n
She was bailed on Wednesday 8 July so a pre-sentence report could be made. <\/p>\n
But Judge Petts told her: “These sorts of offences by serving officers are treated very seriously. <\/p>\n
“I am not saying custody is the only option, but it’s going to be uppermost in my mind.”<\/p>\n
Gardner will be sentenced in early September.<\/p>\n
Det Chief Constable Nigel Harrison said: “We acknowledge the decision of the jury.<\/p>\n
“The officer has been suspended whilst the criminal case was ongoing, and we will now progress with misconduct proceedings following today’s verdict.” <\/p>\n<\/div>\n