Cameron Clifford, a drug-addicted call handler who worked for Durham Constabulary, was jailed for 22 months after passing confidential information to a gang of drug dealers. The 28-year-old, of Strangford Avenue, Chester-le-Street, admitted misconduct in a public office and possession of cocaine.
Dealers Sentenced
Three dealers were also locked up after pleading guilty to conspiracy to supply class A drugs. Kieren Smith, 25, of Brook Cottages, Consett, and Brandon Wales, 25, of Holly Gardens, Consett, each received 40 months in prison. James Chappell, 28, of Taylor Street, Consett, was handed 48 months.
Sentencing Smith, Wales and Chappell, who all had no previous convictions, Judge Adams said: "You were jointly and equally involved in street-level dealing of cocaine." He added: "Dealing on this scale has a significant impact on the community. None of you were forced to act in this way. You were in this for financial gain. No-one was forcing or coercing you. It happened over the course of one year."
Undercover Operation
Clifford carried out the offending between 2021 and 2022, ensuring dealers were not caught by police, it was said at Teesside Crown Court. However, his actions were exposed after an undercover internal operation. The court heard it was not clear what information was passed throughout 2021, but the former call handler said it was mostly fabricated to stay on the dealers' good side. Clifford owed money to them, but there was no suggestion he was threatened by them.
The court heard Clifford had access to confidential and sensitive information through Durham Constabulary's computer systems and would also receive tips from the public. In 2022, an internal investigation began when a false tip was planted by an undercover officer pretending to be a member of the public. This information related to a vehicle connected to the other defendants.
Jailed for Abuse of Trust
Clifford then accessed information on the police computer systems and tried to contact the dealers, exposing his actions. He was arrested and suspended from his job. While information was passed to the drug dealers during his offending, there was no evidence to suggest any direct police operation was compromised. Clifford's defence barrister said he had shown remorse for his behaviour.
Judge Nathan Adams said Clifford had "abused that position of trust that was placed in you."
