Ellie-Mae Doherty, 22, who had been employed by Derbyshire Police for only three months, accessed and transmitted information about a planned police raid to her boyfriend, who had a criminal record. The incident occurred when Doherty attempted to warn her boyfriend about a raid targeting three of his associates' homes.
Investigators uncovered the leak when they found a message on the boyfriend's phone to an associate stating: "My bird who works at Ripley police got into work and texted me to ring 'Stirch' but was five minutes too late." Doherty admitted to misconduct in public office and failing to disclose her associations with individuals involved in criminal activities. She began her role as a call handler at Derbyshire police headquarters at the age of 19.
During a sentencing hearing at Leicester Crown Court, it was revealed that Doherty had been recommended for the position by a friend, Jessica Fitzhugh, also 22, who had started the same job eight months prior. Fitzhugh, whose boyfriend was also involved in criminal activity, appeared in court alongside Doherty. Fitzhugh pleaded guilty to accessing unauthorized material on police systems and taking a photograph of the data, but she denied misconduct in public office. She received a four-month prison sentence, with the court allowing the more serious charge to remain on her record.
Prosecutors stated that both women had falsely declared to not associate with individuals possessing criminal convictions or cautions when questioned about their associations. Both had also undergone counter-corruption training, which explicitly warned them against accessing information for non-policing purposes.
The court was informed that both women were aware of their boyfriends' criminal convictions and knew other individuals involved in crime, including one identified as Aiden Cope, also known as 'Stirch.' Both women were investigated by anti-corruption detectives and the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) following allegations.
The first instance of misuse of police computer systems by Doherty occurred in December 2023 when she sent a message to her boyfriend regarding a fight involving his associates that resulted in a broken window. Three months later, she discovered details of planned search warrants at three addresses linked to her boyfriend's associates through the police system. Investigators found that Doherty accessed these details three times within a 32-minute period and subsequently checked an online system to determine who was in custody. The prosecution confirmed that Doherty intended to tip off Cope and admitted to communicating to her boyfriend that Cope was in custody.