Former police officer sentenced for misconduct in a public office

A 38-year-old former police officer has been sentenced today (May 17) after he admitted to misconduct in a public office.

Between September 14, 2019, and June 29, 2022, PC Matthew Bell, formerly a response officer, shared confidential policing information with people outside of Northamptonshire Police.

The information shared was not available to the public and included details regarding various police incidents including serious road traffic collisions and arrests.

On some occasions, PC Bell would access the police computer system to look up information after he had been asked questions about incidents by his family or friends. 

Following an investigation, he was interviewed and charged with misconduct in a public office.

After pleading guilty to the offence at Southwark Crown Court on March 6, 2024, Bell returned to the same court today (May 17) where he was sentenced to nine months in prison. 

Chief Inspector Adam Pendlebury from Northamptonshire Police’s Professional Standards Department said: “The nature of policing involves being exposed to confidential information on a daily basis.

“We are very clear on the fact that this information should be handled sensitively and accessed only when there is a legitimate policing purpose to do so. Anyone who misuses it or shares it with family and friends has no place in our profession.

“PC Bell’s offending took place over a long period of time, demonstrating a lack of integrity and undermining public confidence in policing.

“I hope the fact that we have brought him before the courts reassures the public that regardless of who you are, we will do everything we can to bring you to justice.”

PC Bell resigned from the Force on March 3, 2023. An accelerated misconduct hearing was held yesterday (May 16), chaired by Chief Constable Paul Gibson from Lincolnshire Police, who determined that PC Bell would have been dismissed had he still been a serving officer.