A suspended Merseyside Police officer has been convicted of multiple offences of misconduct in a public office and unlawfully accessing police data following an anti-corruption investigation. Police Constable Carl Edwards, 35, from the Wirral, was found guilty by a jury at Chester Crown Court on Thursday, 30 July, following a trial. He was convicted of:
- Three counts of misconduct in a public office
- Two offences under the Data Protection Act 2018
Edwards has been remanded in custody ahead of his sentencing on 5 October.
Sexual Advances Towards Vulnerable Women
The misconduct charges related to allegations that Edwards abused his position as a serving police officer by making sexual advances towards:
- Two sex workers
- A vulnerable 17-year-old girl who had recently been found after being reported missing in 2023
The offences formed part of a wider anti-corruption investigation into his conduct while serving with Merseyside Police.
Unlawfully Accessed Police Information
The court also heard Edwards unlawfully obtained confidential police information in October 2022. The two Data Protection Act offences related to allegations that he knowingly accessed personal data without consent, including:
- Information from a police briefing document concerning organised crime gangs
- Personal data contained within a police incident log
Anti-Corruption Investigation
Edwards was arrested in December 2023 and immediately suspended from duty. The investigation was carried out by Merseyside Police’s Anti-Corruption Unit, under the direction of the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC). Following the completion of enquiries in April 2024, investigators submitted a file of evidence to the Crown Prosecution Service, which authorised criminal charges in February 2025.
Sentencing Later This Year
Following his conviction, Edwards was remanded in custody and will return to Chester Crown Court on 5 October for sentencing. Merseyside Police said the force remains committed to rooting out corruption and ensuring officers who abuse the trust placed in them are held fully accountable.
