The charges followed an investigation conducted by TVP’s Counter Corruption Unit under the direction of the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC). Concerns were raised in May 2020 after an internal audit suggested possible unauthorised access to police systems.
Investigators discovered that Arrol had accessed sensitive police information and shared it with an organised crime group while working from home during the coronavirus pandemic. Arrol lived with her parents and brother at the time, and the investigation revealed that confidential police data had been passed on to external parties.
As a result of the investigation, John Arrol, 39, Catherine’s brother, who does not work for TVP, also faced three charges of participating in the criminal activities of an organised crime group. He pleaded guilty and received a 24-month prison sentence.
During a search of Catherine Arrol’s home, drugs were found in her bedroom, further compounding the charges against her. In October 2020, prior to a misconduct hearing, Arrol resigned from Thames Valley Police. The hearing later determined that she would have been dismissed with immediate effect had she not already left the force.
Steve Noonan, IOPC director, commented on the case, stating: “All police officers and staff are in a position of trust where they have access to confidential and sensitive information on police systems. Catherine Arrol’s behaviour fell well below what is expected of any member of a police force and was a serious breach of the trust placed in the police by the public.
The investigation ensured that both Catherine and John Arrol were held accountable for their actions, resulting in their prison sentences.
