Police worker took 'sensitive' information to please partner

Sandra Firth, of Brunswick Road, Buckley, who had been employed as a disclosure clerk by North Wales Police, accessed personal data of a member of the public in a security breach that caused a "significant risk of harm".

The grandmother and mother-of-four pleaded guilty to gaining unauthorised access to the management computer at St Asaph between August 2018 and May 2019.

Mold Crown Court heard how Firth had accessed the information without authorisation to please a man she was in a relationship with.

Andrew Green, prosecuting, said the 50-year-old accessed personal data of a member of the public and others, including a relative. Material was sensitive and there had been breach of security with “a significant risk of harm.”

The offence was discovered in 2020 when another person was arrested and five photographs from the police management system relating to three people were found.

Debra White, defending, said a case against a co-defendant, a man, had been dropped after he pleaded not guilty. Firth accepted full responsibility, was remorseful, but there was a background.

Miss White explained that Firth had then been in a relationship and there were mental health problems. Since the end of the relationship her health had improved and she had a job.

Imposing an eight months suspended term, Recorder John Philpotts said: “You explained you had done it to please another person with whom then you were in a relationship.”

Recorder Philpotts suspended the sentence for a year and ordered Firth to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work, attend 20 rehabilitation sessions and pay £250 towards costs.

He told Firth “It’s extremely sad to see you standing where you are.” The judge added: “You caused the risk serious harm not only to the individuals affected but also to the work of the North Wales Police.”