Detective Inspector Emma Gardner, 46, has denied any wrongdoing after being accused of using a police computer record to provide information to a friend. Appearing at Caernarfon Crown Court, Gardner stated that every time she accessed police systems, it was for a legitimate policing purpose.

Gardner, who joined North Wales Police in 2000 and has worked in various roles including the Protecting Vulnerable People Unit, told jurors she has dedicated her life to policing and cares deeply about the cases she investigates. She described going the extra mile for people and revealed the emotional toll her career has taken, including attending child tragedies and later being diagnosed with complex post-traumatic stress disorder.

The court heard that Gardner first met Simon Acton when she was a uniformed officer and he was a nightclub bouncer. They became Facebook friends, had a brief sexual relationship on two occasions, but Gardner described their connection as platonic and stated they had not seen each other since December 2019.

According to Gardner, Acton contacted her around two years prior to the court hearing seeking advice regarding a relationship he described as 'controlling' and claimed he had been treated unfairly by the police. Gardner stated that their communication escalated through messages, and Acton became a source of emotional support.

Prosecutor Andrew Scott alleged that Gardner accessed police logs related to a minor complaint involving former partners and passed information to a suspect. The court heard that Gardner had messaged Acton saying, 'I have my uses.' However, Gardner insisted this was a self-deprecating response to a compliment, not a reference to accessing police records, as she felt uncomfortable receiving compliments.

Gardner denied deleting messages between herself and Acton or concealing the nature of their friendship from the force's anti-corruption unit. She also denied viewing any police records out of personal curiosity, reiterating that she believed every access was for a policing purpose.

When asked by the prosecution if it was appropriate for an officer of any rank to become involved in an investigation concerning a close friend, Gardner replied, 'Yes.' She added that she believed she had remained impartial and would have arrested Acton if he had admitted any offenses to her.

The trial continues.