Former Police Constable Jailed for Sharing Sensitive Data with Criminal

A police officer has been incarcerated for unlawfully accessing and transmitting confidential information from police computer systems to her convicted criminal boyfriend. Lorna Pennycook, 38, from Walsall, disclosed sensitive data to Anthony Kennedy, 43, from Tipton, between 2017 and 2021, as revealed during proceedings at Birmingham Crown Court. The former Police Constable, who resigned from West Midlands Police in July 2021, pleaded guilty to a single count of misconduct in public office in March 2023. Pennycook received a four-year prison sentence on Thursday, while Kennedy was given an identical term for his role in encouraging or assisting the criminal acts. The pair initially met on a dating platform in 2016. Retrieved communications indicated Kennedy’s desire to terminate the relationship upon learning of Pennycook’s occupation as a police officer. In response, she conveyed her acceptance of “everything” concerning him, stating, “You don’t choose who you love,” according to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS). Ms. Pennycook consistently leveraged her official capacity to conduct searches for data pertaining to Kennedy and his vehicles. This included verifying outstanding warrants for Sandwell, his place of residence, on 42 occasions over the four-year timeframe. The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) further noted that certain inquiries were initiated at her boyfriend’s request. Additionally, Pennycook had pursued details regarding two lorry thefts in which he was implicated, conducting system searches for warrants and suspects, and reviewing police records. Kennedy, whom the CPS stated had 18 prior convictions, including for vehicle theft, was later given a 32-month prison term for those specific offences. During a police interview, the former constable asserted that Kennedy had devastated her life and that she feared him. Nevertheless, mobile phone records indicated she had initiated contact with him “significantly more times than he had called her,” including one instance of 81 calls in a single day. The CPS stated that she was cognizant of her illicit actions and frequently directed Kennedy to erase their communications. Kennedy initially entered a plea of not guilty to charges of encouraging or assisting offenses, believing one or more would be committed, but subsequently altered his plea to guilty in March 2024. Malcolm McHaffie, representing the CPS, commented that Pennycook must bear the repercussions for transmitting “confidential information to a convicted criminal”. “Lorna Pennycook became infatuated with Anthony Kennedy, and provided him with extremely sensitive information over a four-year period,” he said. “There is evidence that Kennedy encouraged her to conduct the criminal searches on some occasions, but Pennycook must also take responsibility for her shameful actions, which have risked damaging public trust and confidence in police officers.” “The CPS will not hesitate to bring charges against those who abuse their position in such a dishonest way.”