A former Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) in Gloucestershire has been handed a suspended prison sentence after exploiting police computer systems to track a colleague and view her body-worn camera footage.
Ben Hale, stationed in Cheltenham, developed an obsession with a team member to the point where he declined to be paired with anyone else and sought to monopolize her time.
The former PCSO appeared at Bristol Magistrates' Court today (Friday, April 4) for sentencing after admitting to a Computer Misuse Act offense at a previous hearing.
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He received an eight-month prison sentence and is suspended for two years. He was also given a restraining order prohibiting him from contacting his victim for three years.
District Judge Matthews also instructed him not to conduct any online searches concerning his victim. Hale is also required to complete 240 hours of unpaid work and pay £1,000 in compensation to his victim, as well as court costs.
Investigators contemplated charging Hale with stalking; however, the Crown Prosecution Service determined there was insufficient evidence to press this charge.
The offenses occurred between 13 August and 10 September 2023. Hale quit Gloucestershire Police in May 2024 and was later found to have committed gross misconduct in relation to separate data breaches.
A panel concluded he would have been sacked if he hadn’t resigned and was subsequently added to the Police Barred List.
Deputy Chief Constable Katy Barrow-Grint said: “Ben Hale’s actions are deeply disturbing. His victim found his behavior stifling and an invasion of her privacy, and there is no place in policing for someone like him.
“The offense he has admitted is a betrayal of the public’s trust, who rightfully expect the information available to police personnel is only accessed for legitimate policing reasons.”