PCSO abused position by checking woman on police computer

A POLICE community support officer abused his position by accessing a police computer for information about a woman he was about to start a sexual affair with.

A court heard Orhan Yigit used West Yorkshire Police intelligence systems to obtain a photograph of the woman. Yigit, 40, obtained an intelligence file on the woman which contained details of a driving conviction.

Leeds Crown Court heard Yigit obtained the information in July 2015, shortly before starting a sexual affair with her.

The married father of two ignored warnings that officers should not access police computers for their own personal use.

Yigit, of Ward Road, Castleford, pleaded guilty to misuse of a police computer.

James Littlehales, mitigating, said Yigit had now resigned from the force over the conviction.

Mr Littlehales said Yigit had an exemplary record as a PCSO prior to committing the offence and was sorry for what he had done. The barrister said Yigit had not passed the details he had obtained on to anyone else and he had not interfered with a policing operation. Yigit was made the subject of a 12-month community order and told he must do 200 hours of unpaid work.

Judge Guy Kearl, QC, said: “The public trust police officers to perform their duties according to the code of ethics to which you were subjected. The intelligence is held in order to assist the detection of criminal offences. It is not there for officers to look up people who they are about to embark upon a relationship with.”