Ex-police officer spared jail after passing information to criminal associates
Adam Davies, 30, who was an officer with Surrey Police, was sentenced to two years' imprisonment suspended for two years at Southwark Crown Court on Thursday after admitting four counts of misconduct in a public office.
Davies wept as His Honour Judge Tony Baumgartner read out the suspended sentence.
While searching a missing elderly man's house on October 10 2020, Davies could be heard on a video 'mocking and praising' the man for owning pornographic DVDs, Judge Baumgartner said.
The judge added: 'There was no policing purpose for you to film in the vulnerable man's home as you did.'
The video was discovered after an associate of Davies, Kai Portlock, was arrested and his phone was seized after a large quantity of cocaine was found in Portlock's vehicle.
Judge Baumgartner said Davies was then 'fishing for information' about Portlock's arrest, which formed another charge.
A message exchange was discovered on Portlock's phone on October 10 2020 in which, the court heard, Davies stated: 'We should go into business, all the seized stock I take'.
Prosecutor Szilvia Booker said it was accepted that Davies, of Farnham, was 'joking' in the message.
Davies was asked to investigate Hone Gym in Surrey for being open during lockdown on November 6 2020.
In a crime report, Davies said he had told the gym of Covid guidelines, when in reality he had 'made it clear he had no intention of closing the gym down' and tried to warn them that police would be attending, Ms Booker said.
Davies also admitted disclosing to his partner's brother that a prisoner had just been released in March 2020.
Judge Baumgartner said it was an 'exceptional case' with an 'absence of profit, corruption, or actual harm' in most of the offending by the 'immature' defendant.
Sentencing Davies, Judge Baumgartner said: 'Your immaturity and naivety led you to act in such a stupid and unprofessional way.
'It was not out of corruption or out of malice.'
Addressing Davies, the judge added: 'You associated with people involved in crime when you were a police officer including people who were concerned in the supply of controlled drugs.
'You provided police information to those criminal associates and wilfully neglected your police duties.
'You appeared to think that impressing your criminal associates was more important than your public office as a police officer.
'You appeared to revel in the position of being able to find out information that most people did not have access to and then share it with your criminal associates.
'You did so for kudos. It was an inappropriate and stupid thing to do. There is no evidence that you obtained any financial or other benefit as a result.'
The judge added that Davies' actions had 'real potential to significantly undermine police investigations and public confidence in the police generally'.
Mitigating for Davies, Kevin Baumber said he had shown a 'significant degree of naivety, immaturity and in particular poor professional judgment', but 'no element of profit', adding that the ex-officer was 'extremely sorry'.
Discussing his employment since leaving the police, Mr Baumber said: 'He has pursued a similar line of work in loss prevention but with the utmost integrity, skill and practical results.'
The lawyer added that Davies was a 'remarkably talented gymnast' and had a son.
Davies, who joined Surrey Police in May 2017, was ordered to undertake 180 hours of unpaid work and a rehabilitation activity requirement of up to 10 days.
Independent Office for Police Conduct director Emily Barry said: 'Adam Davies's actions were corrupt and criminal. We expect the police to clamp down on criminal activity, not assist criminals.
'He abused his position of power in a complete betrayal of the public's trust and such behaviour has no place in policing.
'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.'
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