Disgraced police officer is allowed to KEEP his job
Disgraced police officer who shared private police information with his ex-wife about man she was in relationship with is allowed to KEEP his job
- David Johnston passed information held by Greater Manchester Police to his ex
- He admitted gross misconduct but a hearing ruled he could stay in his role
- Instead, he was handed a final written notice at the end of a four-day hearing
A disgraced police officer who shared private force information with his ex-wife about a man she was in a relationship with has been allowed to keep his job.
Detective Inspector David Johnston passed information held by Greater Manchester Police onto his former partner Hayley Mason, a misconduct hearing was told.
Johnston admitted gross misconduct over the incident but a panel ruled he should not be dismissed from his role.
Instead, he was handed a final written notice at the end of the four-day hearing.
Detective Inspector David Johnston passed information held by Greater Manchester Police onto his former partner Hayley Mason, a misconduct hearing was told. Pictured: Stock image
The tribunal heard how Ms Mason had disclosed information about her former partner Kieran Jones in an email dated August 24, 2018.
The panel concluded that Ms Mason did not receive this information from an employee at Wigan social services, as she had claimed.
It was said these details, relating to a burglary, had instead been supplied by Johnston.
Tribunal Judge Paul Forster said Johnston had breached the standards of professional behaviour expected from serving police officers by supplying the details.
James Berry, representing the authority, said Johnston’s actions would also harm the public reputation of Greater Manchester Police.
He said: ‘Public confidence is clearly damaged by an officer’s misuse of personal data that was on a police system. That does significant harm to public confidence.
‘DI Johnston is entirely to blame for his actions.’
Mr Berry said it was a case of serious gross misconduct by an officer who ‘should have obviously known better’.
He told the panel the data leak included sensitive information about Mr Jones.
In his final submissions, Nicholas Walker, representing DI Johnston, said his client had spent 24 years in the force and had plans to retire.
Mr Walker said: ‘He could retire in 18 months and that would be his personal plan.
‘Allow him to work until then and to put this momentary aberration into its proper place, knowing he has been held to account publicly for it.’
