Former Dundee Police Call Handler Admits Sharing Sensitive Data

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A former Police Scotland call handler based in Dundee has pleaded guilty to unlawfully accessing police databases and passing on confidential information over a period of nearly three years.

Gary Moran, 40, appeared at Dundee Sheriff Court on Friday and admitted to four separate Data Protection Act 2018 breaches and one charge of attempting to pervert the course of justice. His offences occurred between October 2021 and August 2024 while he was working at the Dundee Control Room.

System Breach

Moran was found to have accessed police systems without any lawful reason tied to operational policing. Instead of using the internal records for legitimate law enforcement purposes, he retrieved sensitive personal information and disclosed it to individuals outside the force. The court heard that his activities were unauthorized and repeated over an extended period, suggesting a clear pattern of misconduct.

Police Scotland dismissed Moran from his role before the legal proceedings were finalised, although his removal stemmed from a separate disciplinary issue. His sentencing has been scheduled for Tuesday, September 9.

Detective Superintendent Nathan Calderwood, who leads the Professional Standards department at Police Scotland, strongly criticised Moran’s behaviour. “Gary Moran exploited his position as a call handler by accessing police systems to view records he had no business purpose for seeing,” he said.

“He further breached values by passing sensitive information on to third parties,” Calderwood added. “Trust and confidence in police officers and staff is essential, and people like Moran have no place in Police Scotland.”

The statement was part of a broader push from Police Scotland’s leadership to reaffirm public trust and highlight internal accountability. Calderwood emphasised that misconduct within the force will be thoroughly investigated and dealt with accordingly.

While the case has not been linked to any failings in senior government oversight, concerns continue to circulate about broader institutional discipline and the need for tighter internal controls, especially as the role of civilian staff within policing has expanded in recent years.

Moran’s legal representatives did not dispute the charges in court. Details about the third parties who received the data have not yet been made public, though further hearings may shed more light on the extent of the breach.

The Data Protection Act 2018 governs how personal information is handled in the United Kingdom and applies to both public and private sector workers. Within law enforcement, unauthorised access to police-held data violates professional standards and carries serious legal consequences due to the potential risk to public safety and individual privacy.

Moran’s guilty plea and the upcoming sentencing are expected to send a clear signal to those in policing and public service roles that the misuse of privileged access will not be tolerated.

This case has again raised the issue of how data access is monitored internally within public services, and whether enough preventative safeguards are in place. Though Police Scotland maintains that it investigates all complaints thoroughly, instances like Moran’s risk erode the public’s faith in those tasked with safeguarding them.

Moran remains out on bail until his sentencing next month.