A senior detective from North Wales Police is facing potential jail time after being found guilty of unlawfully accessing police logs involving a close male friend and three women. Detective Inspector Emma Gardner, aged 46, was convicted at Caernarfon Crown Court of unauthorized access to computer material in 2022, despite her denial of the offense.
During the trial, Judge Timothy Petts emphasized the seriousness of the offense to Gardner, stating that while custody is not the sole option, it will be a significant consideration when she is sentenced in September. The court learned that Gardner, who has been with North Wales Police since 2000 and has held various roles, including in the Protecting Vulnerable People Unit, accessed police logs related to a male acquaintance.
Prosecutor Andrew Scott revealed that Gardner had accessed logs concerning a minor complaint and gossip about the man, who had previously been a bouncer while Gardner was a uniformed officer in Rhyl. Gardner had made a statement indicating her usefulness in one of the messages.
Despite her relationship with the man, Gardner asserted that every log access was for legitimate policing purposes. She is set to be sentenced early in September. Following the jury’s decision, Deputy Chief Constable Nigel Harrison stated that the officer had been suspended during the criminal proceedings and that misconduct procedures would now be initiated.
Consider selecting the Daily Mirror as a ‘Preferred Source’ on Google News for prompt access to valued news content.