AN ESSEX Police constable has been dismissed from the force for gross misconduct.

A misconduct hearing chaired by Legally Qualified Chair Siobhan Goodrich found Pc Ames Johnson, who was stationed at Basildon, had breached the standards of behaviour in relation to ‘Confidentiality’ and ‘Orders and Instructions’.

Between September 2011 and July 2015, she accessed the police computer systems to view confidential information without any policing purpose to do so.

Pc Johnson admitted her misconduct at the start of the hearing held at Harlow Family Court on January 23.

Det Chief Supt Tracy Hawkings said: "Pc Johnson has been found to have failed to follow clear force instructions and breached confidentiality which should be fundamental values of all serving officers.

"Information must only ever be accessed for a proper policing purpose – Pc Johnson is an experienced officer and must have known her actions would be likely to result in gross misconduct proceedings.

"There should always be a clear policing purpose for accessing information systems. If officers and staff are ever in any doubt they should speak with a supervisor