Three members of Lancashire Constabulary, including a response officer and two police staff, have appeared in court charged with multiple counts of gross misconduct in a public office.

PC Cameron Hanson, of Packington Brook, Accrington, who worked as an officer in the Ribble Valley and his wife Kirstie Hanson, who was a member of police staff, appeared at Manchester Crown Court on Wednesday, January 3.

Appearing alongside them was Charlotte Riley, 30, also a member of police staff.

Cameron Hanson, 33, had previously pleaded guilty at the lower court to two offences of unauthorised access to a computer on January 2, 2019, and February 27, 2020.

The police officer, who did not have legal representation in court on Wednesday, is also charged with seven counts of gross misconduct in public office.

These include sending copies of body worn footage to his partner on January 24, 2021, and sending photos to others that had been taken at the scene of a sudden death on February 2, 2021.

The other charges include:

  • Making an audio recording of a suspect which he then sent to another on June 10, 2021
  • Sharing copies of body worn footage with an injured suspect between August 20, 2021, and September 3, 2021
  • Sharing a photo of an injury of a child’s bottom with another on September 9, 2021
  • Sending a photo of a scene to another on October 27, 2021
  • And sharing body worn footage of a suspicious death with another between October 28, 2021, and October 31, 2021.

He did not enter any pleas to the above charges and will be required to do so at a later hearing in February once he has secured legal representation.

His wife, Kirstie Hanson, also 33, and of the same address in Accrington, previously pleaded guilty at the magistrates' court to an offence of knowingly and recklessly obtaining personal data without consent which she sent to family.

On Wednesday, she further pleaded guilty to 11 counts of misconduct in a public office, which included:

  • Sending photos to others that had been taken at the scene of a sudden death on February 2, 2021
  • Sharing copies of body worn footage with an injured suspect between August 20, 2021, and September 3, 2021
  • Sharing body worn footage of a suspicious death with another between October 28, 2021, and October 31, 2021
  • Three counts of disclosing sensitive information to another on October 22, 2020, January 26, 2021, and March 3, 2021
  • Three counts of conspiring to secure unauthorised access to computer material on September 7, 2019, July 4, 2019, and July 15, 2019
  • And two counts of disclosing sensitive information to a member of her family on September 12, 2019, and April 4, 2020.

Riley, of Carholme Avenue, Burnley, pleaded guilty to four counts of gross misconduct in a public office. The charges she admitted are:

  • Three counts of conspiring to secure unauthorised access to computer material on September 7, 2019, July 4, 2019, and July 15, 2019
  • And disclosing sensitive information to another on May 24, 2021.

She entered not guilty pleas to sharing copies of body worn footage with an injured suspect between August 20, 2021, and September 3, 2021, and sharing body worn footage of a suspicious death with another between October 28, 2021, and October 31, 2021.

All three were granted unconditional bail to next appear for a review hearing on February 19, when further dates for sentence will be fixed, as well as a possible trial date for Riley.

A pre-sentence report in respect of Kirstie Hanson was ordered to be prepared.

All options, including custodial sentences will remain open, the court heard.

Cameron Hanson and Kirstie Hanson both resigned from Lancashire Constabulary while under investigation.

Charlotte Riley is currently suspended from the force.