Police worker admits charges of misconduct
AFORMER police employee has admitted misconduct in public office and targeting three people with threatening phone calls and texts.
John Fennelly was working as a “resource controller” for Northumbria Police when he “accessed police systems to obtain personal information about people with no policing purpose”.
The 57-year-old also pleaded guilty to sending threatening phone calls and texts with intent to cause distress or anxiety to three different people in December last year, including one on Christmas Day.
Fennelly, of Nuneaton Way, in Walbottle, Newcastle, was told all options will be open to the judge who sentences him at Newcastle Crown Court in June. He was further released on conditional bail until then.
Judge Robert Adams told him: “You have pleaded guilty to four counts and will receive credit for those pleas at sentence, which will take place on June 27. I’m ordering a pre-sentence report but in doing so I’m giving no indication as to sentence – all options will be open to the judge on the next occasion.”
The misconduct happened between December 21 and December 24, 2021. Fennelly made a malicious phone call to someone on December 23, made a further malicious call to someone else on Christmas Eve and sent a malicious text to a third person on Christmas Day.
Full details about the offences will be revealed at the sentencing hearing.
Superintendent Steve Ammari, Head of the Professional Standards Department at Northumbria Police, said: “We are aware of the offences a former police staff member has today admitted at court.
“As soon as concerns were raised in relation to the conduct of this individual he was suspended and has subsequently resigned.
“We want to make it clear that the actions of this individual were completely unacceptable and are in no way representative of the officers, staff and volunteers who continually display the highest levels of professionalism.
“As a force, we are committed to taking appropriate action against anyone who is found to have fallen below the standards rightly expected of them.”