Police staff jailed for passing details to drug dealer boyfriend

A former police administrator has been jailed for two years and 11 months for passing confidential information to her drug dealer boyfriend.

Lucy Langmead, 44, of Tonteg, Rhondda Cynon Taf, was working for South Wales Police when she started accessing the police computer system to obtain information concerning family members and associates.

It included looking up police intelligence to pass on to her then partner Daniel Cozens, 37, who was involved in the supply of controlled class C drugs, as well as personal information about members of the public.

During sentencing Judge Tracey Lloyd-Clarke said Langmead had “betrayed the trust” put in her.

An investigation found that over a 21-month period between 11 May, 2020, and 1 March, 2022, Langmead accessed the police computer system for non-policing purposes.

It included looking up details of her ex-partner’s new girlfriend as well as details about members of the public which she shared with family members and friends.

Cardiff Crown Court heard the also accessed information on the three defendants involved in the Logan Mwangi murder case which was ongoing at the time.

After beginning a relationship with Daniel Cozens, Langmead then started sharing confidential information with the 37-year-old regarding police intelligence and details on his “drug dealing associates” between May 2021 and February 2022.

Cardiff Crown Court Judge Tracey Lloyd-Clarke said “these were deliberate and intentional acts” by the pair.

As a police employee Langmead “knew full well what you were doing” but “continued to do so”, she said, adding that Langmead was essentially “showing off to other people” that she had access to confidential data.

She said it was a “very serious breach of trust” which caused “serious harm to policing and the public interest”.

Although there were no direct financial rewards, Judge Lloyd-Clarke said: “The benefit to the two of you that you were both in good standing with the offenders you were assisting.

“There was obviously an impact on police operations as a result, including in one case the disposal of class A drugs by an offender when he became aware of police investigations,” she said.

She added that although Langmead initially had reason to access data on the murder of five-year-old Logan, whose body had recently been discovered, she “could only have kept accessing the file to satisfy your own morbid curiosity”.

Judge Lloyd-Clarke also said she had taken into consideration mitigating factors, including medical reports for the pair.

Langmead, who joined South Wales Police in May 2005, resigned from the force during the investigation.

She pleaded guilty to 13 offences of securing unauthorised access to computer material and five of unlawful disclosure of personal data as well as conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office between 23 May, 2021, and 25 February, 2022.

Sentencing Langmead, the judge took into account her pregnancy which is considered high risk.

She will serve up to half of her sentence in custody and remain on license for the rest.

Cozens, of Treforest, Rhondda Cynon Taf, pleaded guilty to drugs charges and conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office.

He was sentenced to a total of one year and eight months and will serve at least half in prison.

John Griffiths from the Crown Prosecution Service said in a statement that Langmead’s actions could have placed criminal investigations at risk.