A police officer who sold secrets to a private investigator has been jailed at Southwark Crown Court for 15 months. Det Sgt Paul Dennis, 48, passed details of car owners, previous convictions and police inquiries to Owen Griffin, 53, a former colleague turned private eye.
The Police National Computer has one of the most substantial audit resources of any system and yet, as the Independent Police Complaints Commission commented five years ago:
Every year sees complaints alleging the unauthorised disclosure of information from the Police National Computer. Forces have reviewed their methods of preventing unlawful entry but there will always be a few officers willing to risk their careers by obtaining data improperly.