A WEST Mercia Police staff member has been sacked after sharing information with a third party.

The force worker was dismissed without notice for gross misconduct following a misconduct hearing held at police headquarters in Hindlip on Tuesday, August 28.

The hearing, conducted by Chief Superintendent Kevin Purcell, follows an investigation by the Professional Standards Department into allegations that the member of West Mercia Police staff obtained and disclosed information from force computer systems and shared the information with a third party outside of West Mercia Police.

The member of staff, who works in the Local Policing Directorate based at Hindlip, was immediately suspended following the Professional Standards Department investigation, and remained suspended until the outcome of the hearing.

Anna Middleton, Detective Chief Inspector of Professional Standards for West Mercia Police and Warwickshire Police, said: "We expect all our officers and staff to uphold the highest standards of behaviour and the member of staff in this case has failed to do this.

"The chair of the hearing found that gross misconduct was proven and it is for this reason they have been dismissed."

The outcome of the misconduct hearing is subject to the normal appeals process.