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A police detective is facing the possibility of imprisonment after unlawfully accessing police records concerning a close male acquaintance and three women. Detective Inspector Emma Gardner, 46, affiliated with North Wales Police, was found guilty by a jury of accessing these logs without authorization and sharing information with the man, who had worked as a bouncer. Gardner had denied the allegations in 2022 but was convicted following a trial.
Gardner’s roles within the police force, which she joined in 2000, included work with the Protecting Vulnerable People Unit. It was revealed at Caernarfon Crown Court that while stationed as an officer in Rhyl, Denbighshire, Gardner had given information to the bouncer and accessed logs connected to him. The court heard that the two had connected via Facebook and had a sexual relationship on two occasions.
During the proceedings, prosecutor Andrew Scott described the accessed logs as involving a “relatively minor complaint” and “tittle-tattle” concerning the male friend, which was being managed by other uniformed officers. Gardner asserted that her access to these records was strictly for policing purposes and denied that her relationship with the man influenced her actions. In one message, she stated, “I have my uses.”
Following the verdict, Gardner was released on bail on 8 July pending a pre-sentence report. Judge Timothy Petts cautioned her that such offenses by police officers were regarded with great seriousness and while imprisonment was not the only penalty, it would be a strong consideration during sentencing scheduled for early September. North Wales Police Chief Constable Nigel Harrison confirmed the decision by the jury and noted that Gardner had been suspended during the criminal proceedings. He added that misconduct proceedings will now be pursued in light of the conviction
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