A DISGRACED police officer has been sacked after using the force computer to dig up information about a disgruntled member of the public before sharing it in a Facebook message where he branded the man a racist.
Inspector Mark Doherty made the situation worse for himself when he doctored a document containing the names and addresses of members of the BNP by adding to Alan Hardy’s details to the leaked list.
The 15-year veteran was dismissed without notice after a disciplinary panel ruled he had breached a number of regulations when he published the sensitive information stored on Cleveland Police's computer system to brand Mr Hardy racist in 2018.
The panel heard how the problem between the officer and former BNP member Mr Hardy started when Insp Doherty arrested the complainant in Stockton police station in 2015.
Read more: Police officer facing sack for creating 'fake' BNP Wikileaks document
In a series of letters Mr Hardy labelled the officer a 'mad dog' and threatened to sue to force and this was the catalyst for Insp Doherty to bring up the complainant's past and publish details about him being forced to leave the police in the 1970s due to his far-right leanings.
A claim that Mr Hardy categorically denied.
The officer admitted that he looked up Mr Hardy on the force computer system but denied sharing the information with anybody else.
Panel chairman Nick Hawkins said no level of 'provocation' could justify the officer accessing confidential information stored by police forces.
The father-of-three had maintained that he had discovered the information through legitimate sources but the panel dismissed his claims and found him guilty of gross misconduct by breaching honesty and confidentiality.
Giving evidence during the hearing, Insp Doherty categorically denied creating the false document from Wikileaks.
The former IT manager said: "If I had amended the document, which I didn't, those errors would not be there. I have worked in data for the best part of my adult life."
The panel ruled that the officer' was an 'unconvincing witness' after his version of events changed throughout the investigation period and during the hearing.
During his evidence, Insp Doherty said the laptop he used to carry out the search for information had been broken when one of his children spilt a cup of coffee on it and said his solicitor had told him to destroy the printed version of the Wikileaks document showing Mr Hardy's name on the leaked list of BNP names and addresses.
Mr Hawkins said: "The panel were not convinced of his explanation for why he disposed of the laptop, the Wikileaks document and the USB stick."
The panel heard how the officer had been awarded neighbourhood police officer of the year during his distinguished careers and was also praised for his work developing improvements in the force's missing from home protocols.
The officer had left the hearing before Mr Hawkins delivered the panel's decision he was to be sacked for gross misconduct.
Mr Hawkins added: "There is no place in the police force for an officer who has acted dishonestly."
Speaking after the hearing, Mr Hardy said: "It is a tragedy that he has to go home and tell his family that he has been dismissed but this was about police officers upholding the rules and ensuring the public are protected.
"I get no joy out of this outcome."
Speaking after the hearing, Counter Corruption Chief Inspector Matt Murphy-King said: “Any allegation of misconduct against an officer, regardless of their rank or role, will be dealt with robustly as our investigation demonstrates.
“Police treat the confidential information entrusted to them with the utmost care and any breaches will, as in this case, lead to investigation and the most serious sanctions.”
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