Overview
- A jury convicted Daniel Hughes of eight counts of unauthorised access to computer material and three counts of knowingly disclosing personal data without consent, and he received a 12-month prison term suspended for two years.
- Prosecutors say Hughes used police systems to carry out repeated unlawful checks of intelligence and incident files linked to organised crime.
- Investigators allege that between 2019 and 2021 Hughes relayed details of ongoing investigations to people he associated with outside the force.
- Evidence presented at trial came from audit logs of police computer use and a forensic examination of a mobile phone seized after his arrest, which prosecutors say showed sustained misuse and contacts with suspects.
- Merseyside Police suspended Hughes after his arrest and terminated his employment after conviction, a case officials say highlights the risk to investigations and public trust when officers do not declare compromising associations.