Essex Police officer from Southend tracked colleagues and misused confidential systems

Amy Banks repeatedly accessed confidential information, despite being told to stop. Credit: PA

A former professional wrestler turned police officer who misused police systems to view confidential incidents hundreds of times would have been dismissed had she not already left, a misconduct hearing has heard.

PC Amy Banks, who was posted to Southend-on-Sea, quit Essex Police last October.

A hearing into the actions of the former PC revealed that she felt "left out" and "wanted to know where her teammates were patrolling and where the police hotspots were".

She was said to have done this multiple times to improve her learning as an officer, the hearing was told. Following the first occasion, she was told to reflect on her actions and take a course in data protection.

Despite this, Ms Banks went on to repeat the offence, the panel was told.

Det Insp Nick Eliot of the force's professional standards department said: "She was informed her access was not appropriate. It was explained to her very clearly that this was unacceptable."

Essex Police officer Amy Banks was based in Southend. Credit: Essex Police

Ms Banks, who did not attend the hearing and was not represented, claimed to be "let down" by Essex Police.

Chief Constable Ben-Julian Harrington, who chaired the hearing, concluded that she would have been dismissed if she had not already left the force. She has been added to the College of Police's barred list.

He said: "This was a repeated issue done on a number of occasions. She has ignored a clear instruction from the inspector and this was a legitimate instruction.

"There was no malicious motive and she did not share it with anyone, but it was not appropriate for her to access those incidents without a policing purpose.

He added: "I make it really, really clear that when an officer is given a clear instruction from a mistake, that they abide by that and move forward.

"She was given a choice and failed to take it. If you break the rules and then break the rules again, that will be taken very seriously."

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