Man jailed for snooping on police database

Watching the watchers

A Northern Irish man has been jailed for nine months for using the police database to get information for terrorists.

Aaron Hill, 24, from Randalstown, County Antrim, was a data inputter for the Northern Irish police force. He was found guilty of collecting information likely to be useful to terrorists and misconduct in public office. His original sentence was suspended but yesterday the court of appeal sent him to prison for nine months.

Darren Richardson, 31, was also found guilty of possessing ammunition - he is free after serving a year on remand.

The court heard that Richardson collected car registration numbers of Catholics living in the town and passed them to Hill. Police found documents which included registration numbers with names and addresses in Richardson's possession. The case was sent back to appeal on grounds that the original sentences were too lenient.

The two men played together in the town's flute band, the BBC reports.

Hill said he'd run checks on about 100 people and police advised 67 individuals to step up personal security as a result of the data breach. ®