Dundee crime: Police Scotland call handler jailed after illegally accessing records and sharing information

A former Police Scotland call handler has been jailed after illegally accessing records and sharing information.

Gary Moran, 40, was sentenced to six months imprisonment on Tuesday for unlawfully passing on information that he had accessed from police systems while within his role as a call handler.

He pled guilty to four charges under the Data Protection Act and one charge of attempting to defeat the ends of justice on July 18 at Dundee Sheriff Court.

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The crimes took place over a three-year period between October 2021 and August 2024 when he was in his role as a call handler in the Dundee Control Room.

The offences include accessing police records without legitimate policing purpose and obtaining and disclosing personal information.

He pled guilty at Dundee Sheriff Court. | Claudio Divizia/Adobe

Moran was discharged from Police Scotland in relation to separate disciplinary matters prior to the conclusion of these criminal proceedings.

Moran ‘exploited his position’ and passed ‘sensitive information’ to third parties

Chief Superintendent Helen Harrison, Head of Professional Standards, said: “Gary Moran exploited his position as a call handler by accessing police systems to view records he had no business purpose for seeing.

"He further breached values by passing sensitive information on to third parties.

“Trust and confidence in police officers and staff is essential and people like Gary Moran have no place in Police Scotland.

“Any officer or staff who fails to uphold the high standards we expect will be investigated and appropriate action taken."