Ex-detective would have been sacked over IT misuse

Image source, Getty Images

Image caption, The hearing heard at least 10 inappropriate searches were made on the force's systems
  • Author, Nathan Briant
  • Role, 91热爆 South Online

A former police officer who inappropriately accessed computer systems would have been sacked if he had not quit.

Former Det Con Matthew Adam, who worked for Thames Valley Police (TVP), did at least 10 searches on people known to him without any policing purpose between March and November 2023.

A hearing heard Mr Adam, who was based in Witney, Oxfordshire, also asked a former colleague to check the systems for him.

Chief Constable Jason Hogg said Mr Adam would have been sacked had he not resigned in February.

Mr Adam joined TVP in June 2020.

Robert Watson, Mr Adam鈥檚 Police Federation representative, read out a statement on his behalf.

In it, he said he meant 鈥渘o ill-intent鈥 when undertaking the searches and that he was sorry for letting down the force and his former colleagues.

He said he held them 鈥渋n the highest regard鈥.

Despite Mr Adam鈥檚 apology, Mr Hogg said his 鈥渧ery serious鈥 actions amounted to gross misconduct.

That he would have been sacked had he not resigned showed that 鈥渋mproper behaviour will not be tolerated鈥, Mr Hogg added.

Mr Adam, who did not attend the accelerated misconduct hearing, will be placed on the College of Policing鈥檚 barred list.

Mick Taylor, on behalf of TVP's professional standards department, said officers considered if Mr Adam's conduct was criminal but no charges were brought.

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