Security News > 2020 > December > Channel Isles cop sacked after abusing police database to track down women drivers for Instagram 'comic' page

A police constable has been sacked after reportedly tracking down young women motorists through their car numberplates and propositioning them on social media.

Stephen Woods, formerly of Guernsey Police, was dismissed from the Channel Island's local force after searching for their car registration details to find their names.

"In my view his interest in these women was more than just about comic book drawings," said Judge Gary Perry, following Woods' guilty pleas to nine counts of breaking the Data Protection Law 2017.

Guernsey Magistrates' Court heard on Friday that Woods tracked the women down by using a trust-based lookup system before sending them social media messages.

Last year a sergeant in London's Met Police used a database to monitor an investigation into his own conduct, while separate figures revealed that one police staffer is disciplined every three days around the nation for misusing official IT systems for private purposes.

News URL

https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2020/12/07/guernsey_police_database_sacking/