A former employee of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) was warned she faces a "significant prison sentence" after accessing unauthorised files. She wept as she was remanded in custody ahead of her sentencing.
Rachel Simpson, 39, of Newport, was working as a paralegal assistant when she was arrested by officers from the South Wales Police anti-corruption unit in June 2020. Evidence came to light the defendant had been accessing sensitive material and had on two occasions passed this material on to organised criminals.
Material found on encrypted phones seized from criminals led to the discovery of Simpson's offences. She appeared at Cardiff Crown Court on Thursday when she pleaded guilty to 29 counts of unauthorised access of a computer system, between 2016 and 2020, and two counts of misconduct in a public office.
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An application was made for the defendant, of Argosy Close, to remanded on bail ahead of her sentencing on March 3 to make arrangements for the care of her teenage daughter. But the Recorder of Cardiff Judge Tracey Lloyd-Clarke remanded Simpson in custody, telling her the only sentencing option was an "immediate and significant prison sentence".
Speaking after the hearing Andrew Penhale, chief crown prosecutor, said: “As a CPS employee Rachel Simpson was in a position of trust and was only expected to access sensitive and confidential information when necessary for her job. She regularly accessed material when there was no business need and, on two occasions, the sensitive material she obtained was passed on to organised criminals.
"The CPS expects all staff to act with integrity in handling data held in its systems and Simpson fell well below these standards. We will not hesitate to prosecute individuals who engage in unlawful conduct. We also constantly review our digital systems to ensure they are as secure as possible."
A spokesman for the CPS said: "The CPS is committed to maintaining the public’s confidence in our ability to effectively manage data entrusted to us. Action is already under way to ensure that we effectively learn from the issues identified in this case and appropriate changes are made to prevent recurrence."
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