Officer fined for breaking data rules

Mar 26 2008 by jl reporter1, The Journal

A NORTHUMBRIA police officer who breached data protection laws by illegally accessing confidential information from the force computer has been fined £1,500.

Simon Hindmarsh had admitted 13 offences of obtaining personal data and two of disclosing data without authorisation.

The offences took place between October 2005 and August last year when Hindmarsh worked as a police officer at Wallsend, in North Tyneside.

Hindmarsh, 28, of Blackdene in Ashington, Northumberland, resigned from the force earlier this month – the same day he admitted the offences.

Michael Graham, prosecuting, yesterday said the former officer had illegally accessed information a total of 78 times over a period of two-and-a-half years.

But he told Newcastle Crown Court there was no evidence the information had been used in connection with any criminal activity.

John Elvidge, defending, said that Hindmarsh – now unemployed – had been a popular member of the police force who was well regarded by his colleagues.

He said the former officer had made no attempt to conceal or destroy records of what he had done and that the offences were not committed for financial gain.

“It wasn’t behaviour committed as a result of any corrupt relationship,” Mr Elvidge told the court. “It wasn’t conducted out of malice and no person has been exposed to any risk of harm as a result of this conduct.

“It would appear that this officer has behaved in a naive manner – curiosity in respect of people he either knew or heard of locally where he lived got the better of him.”

Fining Hindmarsh £100 on each count, Judge Esmond Faulks told him: “I accept for the purpose of sentencing you, you had no intent in doing what you did to help criminals.

“I also accept that this wasn’t a money-making venture.

“Nevertheless, by doing what you did, you have broken internal police rules. More importantly, you have broken public data protection rules.”