A Fife policewoman involved in the arrest of Sheku Bayoh accessed crime files for a case she was not investigating a court has heard.
Nicole Short, who was said to have been badly hurt in the incident which led to the death of Mr Bayoh, is on trial at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court for charges under the Data Protection Act.
Short is alleged to have illegally accessed crime files and intelligence database entries relating to two brothers, Dale and Matthew Innes, for “non policing purposes.”
The court heard from retired police officer Gordon Beveridge, who was responsible for auditing the databases of the former Fife Constabulary and then Police Scotland.
A report signed by Mr Beveridge detailed how Short had accessed crime files in October 2012 from a computer at Glenrothes Police Station during her work hours.
Giving evidence, Mr Beveridge said: “PC Short did not appear within the list of witnesses in that case.”
When asked by Fiscal Depute Dev Kapadia if Short was an investigating officer in the case, he replied that she was not.
The witness described how a warning appears after the police database is accessed.
He said crime file data was restricted information and there was a warning that it must be accessed for legitimate purposes and not out of “idle curiosity”.
Mr Beveridge added: “Use of crime files is subject to audit and you might be required to justify your use as being for a legitimate policing purpose.”
The trial continues.
