Speed digital camera operators jailed after deleting associates’ fines | UK | News | EUROtoday

Two velocity digital camera operators have been jailed after deleting their associates’ dashing information so they would not need to pay fines.

Samantha Halden-Evans, 36, and Jonathan 47, conspired collectively after they labored at Staffordshire Police collectively between May 2019 and October 2020. The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) stated proof on a cell phone confirmed Halden-Evans had deleted information on individuals who have been recognized to her and Hill.

Hill can be stated to have requested her to test quantity plates to see if the drivers had been caught dashing at particular places. She was additionally discovered to have handed on details about which velocity cameras in Staffordshire have been lively.

The IOPC stated Halden-Evans used a police pc to entry and disclose data with out permission. This included particulars of a homicide probe.

Their conspiracy got here crashing down in 2020 when a housebreaking in Cheshire uncovered the telephone exhibiting messages to Halden-Evans. She was arrested in February 2021 and a telephone was seized from her.

Halden-Evans, from Cheadle in North Staffordshire, has now been jailed for 4 years at Stafford Crown Court having admitted conspiracy to commit misconduct in public workplace (MIPO), wilfully neglecting to carry out responsibility/wilfully misconducting herself, and two counts of conspiring to pervert the course of justice.

While Hill, from Newcastle-under-Lyme in North Staffordshire, pleaded responsible to conspiracy to commit MIPO at an earlier listening to and acquired an 18-month jail sentence. He was dismissed from Staffordshire Police following a disciplinary listening to in December 2021. Halden-Evans resigned in August 2021 earlier than a disciplinary listening to.

Two members of the general public, one among whom was in a relationship with Halden-Evans, admitted conspiracy to pervert the course of justice at hearings in October.

Wayne Riley, 41, additionally from Cheadle, was sentenced to 2 years and eight months. While Nikki Baker was sentenced to 10 months behind bars.

IOPC director of operations Steve Noonan stated: “The offences committed by these two individuals amounted to very serious corruption. In addition to the deletion of speeding offences, evidence showed that Hill was asking Halden-Evans to check whether people had been caught by cameras speeding on certain roads.

“She was also passing on details about whether speed cameras in Staffordshire were active or not, and there were other data breaches including one relating to a murder investigation. Such behaviour is a betrayal of the public’s trust and undermines confidence in policing.”

Deputy Chief Constable Jon Roy, from Staffordshire Police, stated: “The overwhelming majority of our officers and workers conduct themselves professionally and work tirelessly to guard the general public.

“We anticipate the best ranges of honesty and integrity from all of our officers and workers and anybody who falls under these requirements can be held to account.”