Former officer jailed for passing information and starting relationships with two criminals

Ex-Police Constable Choni Kenny, aged, 27, was caught out after visiting a prisoner she was in a relationship with while wearing her uniform.

She appeared at Liverpool Crown Court on Wednesday (April 23) and was sentenced to three years and nine months in jail following a directed Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) investigation, carried out by GMP’s Anti-Corruption Unit.

The former officer, who was based in GMP’s City of Manchester district, pleaded guilty to four offences of misconduct in public office and one of conspiracy to commit misconduct with a criminal associate at an earlier hearing in January.

Kenny was arrested on June 21, 2023 and suspended. She was dismissed by the force without notice following an accelerated misconduct hearing on April 1, 2025.

The offences, which took place between April 2021 and June 2023, involve failing to tell the force about her relationship with a criminal associate, Josh Whelan, while she was a serving officer and Whelan was in prison.

The investigation uncovered the pair would communicate through mobile phones funded and delivered by him in which she would disclose confidential police information by accessing systems at work.

She also admitted failing to notify GMP about another relationship with criminal associate, Rahim Mottley. They have both admitted a count of conspiring together to commit misconduct involving accessing and disclosing police intelligence and information.

Analysis undertaken during the investigation established that Kenny would send Mottley images and information relating to warrants executed on houses for firearms and drug supplies.

GMP said that during its investigation, Kenny was caught on prison CCTV visiting Whelan at Forest Bank dressed in her police uniform.

They split up after Whelan was released and Kenny then started a relationship with Mottley, who was under investigation by GMP and had moved to Spain.

Mottley was extradited from Spain in October 2024 to face the courts following his arrest three months earlier by the National Crime Agency.

He tasked Kenny to keep him up to date with police intelligence, which she did by accessing and passing on confidential information.

“Our Anti-Corruption Unit officers carried out a thorough investigation into Kenny using CCTV, and analysing her phone and computer usage and were able to identify that she’d passed it on.” said GMP.

“It was proved she had accessed sensitive information on GMP’s IT system when she had no lawful purpose and had communicated with Whelan while he was in prison on the mobile phones she provided.”

IOPC Director Amanda Rowe said: “Kenny’s actions were audacious, corrupt and criminal. Abusing her position of power to assist criminal activity rather than clamp down on it was a complete betrayal of the public’s trust and such behaviour has no place in policing.

“The evidence we have seen points towards this being an isolated case of police corruption on this scale but the outcome sends a clear message to any officer who conducts themselves in such a way – they face serious consequences and will be held to account.”

“Forces have a key role to play in tackling issues like this and I would like to thank the team at GMP for their professionalism and thorough investigation that has ultimately led to the sentencing today.”

Mottley, 21, was sentenced to two years and eight months. Whelan, 28, was sentenced to two years and two months for three charges of possessing an illegal mobile phone in prison.

Detective Chief Superintendent Mike Allen, head of GMP’s Professional Standards Directorate, said: “Whenever we receive reports of misconduct by one of our officers, we will always conduct a thorough investigation.

“Kenny abused her position as a police officer and tried to compromise a police investigation by accessing and passing on confidential information.

“She also entered into an illegal relationship with a known criminal while he was behind bars and given this criminality the full weight of our specialist Anti-Corruption Unit was brought to bear against her.

“Kenny’s actions plainly amounted to serious corruption and it is right that she now contemplates her future from behind the bars of the prison estate where she is now incarcerated.

“Kenny’s jail term is fully deserved – she does not represent the thousands of professional, honest, hard-working police officers across Greater Manchester who continue to protect the public every day.

“This anti-corruption operation against Kenny, Whelan and Mottley is testament to the expertise of GMP’s Anti-Corruption Unit and their commitment to ripping out any corruption that tries to take hold in GMP

“If any officers or members of the public have any suspicions about the behaviour of one of our officers then they should report in the confidence that we will investigate.”

Chief Constable Stephen Watson, who presided over the proceedings at force headquarters, said: “PC Kenny abused the position of responsibility reposed in her.

“This was not a single occurrence but rather multiple incidents which took place over a lengthy period.

“The misconduct involved a deliberate breach of policy, procedure and instructions which make it abundantly clear to officers and staff that care and respect should always be afforded to information on police systems.

“The criminal misconduct included the conducting of undeclared intimate relationships with two persons with serious criminal associations.

“In the furtherance of these relationships, the officer, having accessed restricted police systems, unlawfully shared with both males, police information and intelligence.

“PC Kenny’s offending behaviour was simply unacceptable. Her accessing and sharing police data with active criminals is a tangible manifestation of a distinct lack of integrity, decency and moral fibre which additionally point to her being manifestly unsuited to the office of constable.”

Alan Richardson, Senior Crown Prosecutor for Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) North West, said: “As a police officer, Choni Kenny was trusted to uphold the law and protect the public, yet her conduct fell far below this when she became involved with two known criminals.

“Kenny then passed on information to known criminals that she had accessed on the police computer without a legitimate policing purpose.

“We worked closely with GMP to build a strong case leading to Choni Kenny accepting her guilt.

“The public quite rightly expect high standards from those responsible for upholding the law. The CPS will not hesitate to bring charges against those who abuse their position.”