Two former Staffordshire Safer Roads Partnership staff charged with MIPO

Two former speed camera viewing operatives who worked for Staffordshire Safer Roads Partnership are to appear in court this week charged with conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office (MIPO) following an investigation directed by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).

Samantha Halden-Evans, aged 35, and Jonathan Hill, 46, are charged with conspiring with each other in May 2019 to commit MIPO by failing to process data so that individuals would avoid penalties for speeding offences.

Ms Halden-Evans has also been charged with three further offences:

• a further count of conspiring with another person to commit MIPO
• one count of MIPO
• one count of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.

These offences relate to allegations that on various dates between August 2017 and February 2021 there were failures to process data, or offers were made to fail to process data, so that individuals would avoid speeding penalties; unauthorised access to data on police computer systems; and unauthorised disclosure of data.

An investigation was carried out by Staffordshire Police’s Anti Corruption Unit under the IOPC’s direction after we received referrals from the force in February and April last year (2021). On conclusion of the investigation we decided the matter should be referred to the Crown Prosecution Service, which authorised the charges.

Both defendants are due to appear before Cannock Magistrates’ Court on Friday 2 December.