Ex-police officer and wife jailed for sharing murder scene footage

Mr and Mrs Hanson have both been jailed (Picture: MEN Media)

A police officer who recorded video footage of a murder scene and then sent it to his wife has been jailed.

Cameron Lee Hanson, 33, from Lancashire, also made derogatory remarks about the mum of a toddler who had potentially been assaulted.

Later Hanson sent a photo of the child to wife Kirstie Hanson, also 33, who was a member of police staff in the same division.

Mr Hanson used to work as a response constable in the Lancashire Constabulary’s East Division. Both he and his wife resigned while under investigation.

Officers from the police’s Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) found out about a video on Mrs Hanson’s phone that had been taken at a murder scene in Pendle near Blackburn in Lancashire on November 2, 2021.

The video was found to also be on the phones of Mr Hanson and Charlotte Riley, a colleague of Mr and Mrs Hanson, who also worked as part of the police staff in the same division.

Within 90 minutes of police making the discovery all phones had been seized.

Mr Hanson sent body cam footage from a murder scene to his wife (Picture: Lancashire Police / SWNS)

The Hansons, of Oswaldtwistle, were suspended from police duties straight away while the investigation was ongoing.

Riley, of Burnley, was arrested a few months later in February 2022 after further enquiries.

Cameron Hanson was jailed for 32 months, Kirstie Hanson was sentenced to 18 months in custody and Charlotte Riley was handed a two-year suspended custodial sentence.

The investigation also found that Mr Hanson would access police systems to look up crime incidents without having need to do so.

He would record footage of incidents he attended via his bodycam then send them onto his wife.

This included the incident where a man was murdered in Pendle. Mr Hanson sent it to Mrs Hanson, who then forwarded it on to Riley.

Mr Hanson also took photos of crime scenes and sent them on to his wife, including an incident where a man had died but the circumstances were non-suspicious.

DCI Eugene Swift, from Lancashire police ACU, said: ‘The behaviour of these three individuals has no place in Lancashire Constabulary and damages public confidence and trust in the police at both a local and national level.

‘When the existence of these videos first came to light we moved quickly to secure the phones and ensure no further offending could take place.

Kirstie Hanson worked on police staff in the same division as her husband (Picture: Lancashire Police / SWNS)

‘A pro-active investigation was then launched, which identified further serious offending.

‘My thoughts are with the victims of this offending and I hope today’s outcome will give them some sense of justice.

‘I want to be clear that the overwhelming majority of police officers and police staff in Lancashire are law abiding, respectful and go to work to make a difference in the communities in which they serve.

‘Where there is any evidence of wrongdoing by an officer or staff member, the ACU will carry out a proactive and robust investigation – as demonstrated in this case – and work with the Crown Prosecution Service to take the appropriate action.’

Mr Hanson pleaded guilty to seven counts of misconduct in public office and two counts of two counts of causing a computer to perform a function to secure/enable unauthorised access to a program/ data.

He has been added to the Barred List will face gross misconduct proceedings.

And Mrs Hanson pleaded guilty to eight counts of misconduct in public office, three counts of conspiring to cause a computer to perform a function to secure/enable unauthorised access to a program/ data, and one count of knowingly/recklessly obtaining or disclosing personal data without the consent of the controller.

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Riley pleaded guilty to three counts of misconduct in public office; and three counts of conspiracy to cause a computer to perform a function to secure/enable unauthorised access to a program/ data.

Deputy Chief Constable Sam Mackenzie said: ‘This case will understandably leave the public feeling concerned and I know both serving and retired officers and police staff will be left feeling appalled and let down by the behaviour of these three individuals.

‘For Lancashire Constabulary, one instance is one too many and detracts from the hard work and commitment to protecting the public that our police officers and staff demonstrate on a daily basis.

‘Our anti-corruption unit within our Professional Standards Department is proactively working to identify anyone – no matter role or rank – who chooses to engage in such deplorable behaviour which is completely incompatible with the values and standards of this force.

‘Where such conduct is clearly demonstrated those offenders will lose the privilege of working for Lancashire Police and we will work closely with the Crown Prosecution Service to put those individuals before the courts.’

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