A senior detective from North Wales Police faces potential jail time for unlawfully accessing police records related to a male friend and three women. Detective Inspector Emma Gardner, aged 46, was convicted at Caernarfon Crown Court of unauthorized computer access in 2022, despite her denial of the charges.
During the trial, Judge Timothy Petts emphasized the severity of the offense to Gardner, stating that while imprisonment is not the only option, it will be a significant consideration during her sentencing in September. Gardner, who has been with North Wales Police since 2000 and served in various capacities including the Protecting Vulnerable People Unit, had accessed logs concerning a male friend.
Prosecutor Andrew Scott revealed that Gardner had checked logs involving a minor complaint and gossip about the man, who had previously worked as a bouncer while Gardner was a uniformed officer in Rhyl. Gardner claimed that her access to the logs was solely for policing purposes and not influenced by her relationship with the man.
The sentencing for DI Gardner is scheduled for early September. Following the jury’s decision, Deputy Chief Constable Nigel Harrison announced that Gardner had been suspended during the criminal proceedings and that misconduct procedures would commence post-verdict.
