Former Cambridgeshire police officer admits gross misconduct over computer system misuse

Prior to resigning from Cambridgeshire Constabulary last week, PC James Battson, who was based in Wisbech, had admitted that his conduct amounted to gross misconduct.

Today (Wednesday, July 3) a panel in Peterborough found the former officer had breached the Standards of Professional Behaviour for both confidentiality, orders and instructions and discreditable conduct through his misuse of police computer systems.

It had been alleged that “between February 16, 2019 and March 17, 2019 PC Battson, whilst on duty, accessed Cambridgeshire police computer systems with no policing purpose to do so”.

The allegations against PC Battson also included: “On March 20, 2019, whilst off duty, PC Battson accessed Cambridgeshire police computer systems in relation to a family incident. This was completed where there was no policing purpose to do so. PC Battson was told by supervisors that he shouldn’t be accessing this data.

“Between March 20, 2019 and March 31, 2019 it is said PC Battson accessed Cambridgeshire police computer systems to access information where there was no policing purpose to do so.”

The panel agreed that his conduct amounted to gross misconduct and that he would have been dismissed had he remained a serving officer.