Member of staff at Leicestershire Police pleads guilty to computer misuse

A member of staff at Leicestershire Police has this week pleaded guilty to one count of computer misuse.

Appearing at Leicester Magistrates’ Court yesterday (21 March) Ruben Nakum, 49, of Leicestershire and an intelligence administrator at the force, pleaded guilty to causing a computer to perform a function to secure unauthorised access to a program / data, relates to using a police system for a non-policing purpose between 1 January 2016 and 31 July 2018.

He was sentenced to four months’ imprisonment suspended for 12 months, 250 hours unpaid work, ordered to pay £115 costs and an £85 victim surcharge.

Chief Superintendent Martyn Ball, Head of Professional Standards for Leicestershire Police, said: “We expect all officers and staff to uphold our high standards of professional behaviour at all times and an internal misconduct investigation is underway.”

Leicestershire Live reported that Catherine Ravenscroft, representing Nakum, told the court: “He’s always been upfront about his actions. He was frank with the police in interview when he said it was nosiness and stupidity. He accepts he was in a position of trust.

“It’s not an excuse – he recognises he has no excuse. There’s no malicious aspect to this case.”