Former Metropolitan Police constable Mohammed Sardar, aged 31, has admitted to five counts of computer misuse, including accessing and passing on information about his family members and personal matters using police computers. The revelations emerged during Sardar’s trial at Southwark Crown Court.
The charges against Sardar encompassed his unauthorized use of police computer systems between October 1, 2018, and February 28, 2021. Among the illicit activities, Sardar accessed a crash report on his own car and details concerning his cousin Awais Guzal, who faced allegations of criminal activity.
Notably, Awais Guzal was acquitted of conspiracy to launder in October 2021 after a high-profile £34 million money laundering trial collapsed due to “disclosure issues.” Prosecutor Henna Baig highlighted Sardar’s misuse of police resources, revealing that he had used the police computers to access and share information about Guzal’s custody arrangements during the failed trial.
Sardar, residing at Ruskin Avenue, Manor Park, East Ham, was initially charged with five counts of securing unauthorized access to data. He pleaded guilty to these charges at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on September 22, 2023. Following a tribunal held in December, he was subsequently dismissed from the police force for gross misconduct and banned from any future policing role for life.
During the trial, prosecutor Henna Baig emphasized that Sardar had repeatedly breached the Metropolitan Police Service’s (MPS) conditions regarding computer system use, despite having undergone training that covered these regulations. She argued that Sardar’s actions aimed to assist family members and friends, although his conduct violated police protocols.
In his defence, barrister Ashraf Khan contended that Sardar had examined the accessed information to reassure his family that everything was under control. Khan also emphasized that Guzal’s acquittal meant Sardar could not be accused of perverting the course of justice.
As a result of his dismissal from the Met Police, Sardar has taken up employment as a Deliveroo driver. Khan urged the court to consider a suspended sentence for his client, citing Sardar’s remorse for his actions and the shame brought upon him and his family due to the loss of his job.
Judge Justin Cole handed Sardar a lenient nine-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, along with 200 hours of unpaid work. Cole cautioned Sardar that such offences undermined the integrity of police officers’ work and the considerable trust placed in them. The judge concluded by warning Sardar that any breach of the sentence would be taken seriously.
Sardar’s case serves as a reminder of the significance of upholding the integrity and trustworthiness of those in law enforcement positions.
