PCSO jailed for text warning

A Wrexham Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) has been sent to prison for 10 months for releasing confidential information.

Lisa Stapley was accused of sending a text message to a friend to warn her police were searching for her.

The court heard Stapley sent a message to a woman saying: “Get out of Wrexham, the police are looking for you.”

Stapley admitted to four charges of misconduct in a public office. There was no financial gain and in three of the four charges she was not prejudicing any police investigation or advancing a criminal purpose.

Judge Philip Hughes, talking about the sending of the text message, said: “By doing so you helped your friend evade the attention of the police.

“That is the most serious aspect of your offending. It was a gross breach of trust.

“The court has a duty not only to punish you but to send out a message to those who work in the police, either as police officers or community support officers, that such behaviour is so serious that only immediate custody can be imposed.”

The deputy chief constable for North Wales Police, Ian Shannon, said: “This case demonstrates our resolve to thoroughly and rigorously investigate any instance where the integrity of our staff may be called into question.

“In any case, where corruption is found, we will ensure that those responsible are brought to justice, as we have done in this case.”