From the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC – formerly IPCC):
An Essex Police officer will appear at court charged with an offence under the Computer Misuse Act 1990 following an Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC)investigation.
Police Constable Scott Gardner-McLean, 21, based at Clacton-on-Sea police station, is due to appear at Colchester Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday, 26 January.
It is alleged PC Gardner-McLean used the police computer system to access records he had no legitimate policing purpose for doing so.
PC Gardner-McLean was notified of the decision to charge him on 9 December 2020.
Our investigation began in October 2019 and completed in April 2020. At the investigation’s conclusion, we referred a file of evidence to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), which made the decision to charge the officer.