A former detective convicted of unauthorised access to computer records has been banned from policing.

Last month, former detective inspector Emma Gardner was found guilty of accessing North Wales Police's IT sytems without a policing purpose.

Caernarfon Crown Court heard she looked at records involving a friend and three women 47 times between January and September 2022.

An internal hearing at the force's headquarters in Colwyn Bay on Monday ruled that her actions had amounted to gross misconduct.

Gardner, a former sergeant at Bangor and Caernarfon police stations, resigned from the force prior to her conviction, but she would have been sacked wihout notice if she was still a serving officer.

Chief Constable Amanda Blakeman said: "Police officers and staff are entrusted with access to highly sensitive information and the public rightly expects that information to be used only for legitimate policing purposes."

"The standards expected of those working in policing are rightly high, and maintaining public confidence is fundamental to everything we do."

"This case involved criminal conduct which fell well below the standards expected of a police officer. Misuse of police systems and information undermines the trust that the public places in policing, and it is therefore right that robust action has been taken."

"North Wales Police remains committed to maintaining the highest professional standards and ensuring that officers, staff and volunteers are held accountable when those standards are not met."

Gardner, who did not attend the misconduct hearing, will have her name added to the College of Policing Barred List, which prevents her from working in policing in the future.

She is currently on bail awaiting sentencing at Caernarfon Crown Court on Friday 11th September.