����ý

A former Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) employee passed sensitive material to organised crime groups.

Rachel Simpson, from Newport, was working as a paralegal officer for CPS Wales when she committed the offences between 2016 and 2020.

The 39-year-old was arrested in June 2020 and admitted to two counts of misconduct in a public office at Cardiff Crown Court on Thursday.

She also pleaded guilty to 29 counts of unauthorised computer system access.

The CPS prosecutes criminal cases which have been investigated by the police.

The case against Simpson was investigated by Tarian, the regional organised crime unit for southern Wales, after evidence against her was discovered during an investigation into the use of encrypted phones by criminals.

Chief crown prosecutor, Andrew Penhale, said: "As a CPS employee, Rachel Simpson was in a position of trust and was only expected to access sensitive and confidential information when necessary for her job.

"She regularly accessed material when there was no business need and, on two occasions, the sensitive material she obtained was passed on to organised criminals.

"The CPS expects all staff to act with integrity in handling data held in its systems and Simpson fell well below these standards.

"We will not hesitate to prosecute individuals who engage in unlawful conduct. We also constantly review our digital systems to ensure they are as secure as possible."

He added: "Action is already under way to ensure that we effectively learn from the issues identified in this case and appropriate changes are made to prevent recurrence."

Simpson is remanded in custody and will be sentenced on 3 March at Cardiff Crown Court.