PC Katie Murray jailed for leaking Cregan and drugs info to sister and ex-lover

A PC who passed on intelligence about police killer Dale Cregan and planned drugs raids to her sister and drug-dealing former lover has been jailed.

Katie Murray, 30, of Dunkirk Street in Droylsden, accessed police computers to get the confidential information.

She was found guilty of breaching the Data Protection Act and conspiracy to commit misconduct in a public office.

At Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court she was jailed for two years and nine months.

Her sister Lindsay, 33, of Ruskin Road, Droylsden, and ex-boyfriend Jason Lloyd, 44, of Peregrine Close, Droylsden were also found guilty of conspiracy to commit misconduct in a public office.

Lindsay Murray was sentenced to six months while Lloyd - who was convicted of possessing a prohibited firearm and ammunition - and had earlier pleaded guilty to conspiracy to produce cannabis, was handed a 15-year sentence.

Police said Lloyd was the head of a crime gang involved in the production of large amounts of cannabis at Weir Mill in Stockport.

In September 2012, police went to the mill following information that cannabis was due to be moved from the location, but found nothing.

At about the same time, an investigation into PC Murray's illegal and inappropriate accessing of various police systems began.

That led officers to return to the Mill in October 2013 when they seized cannabis plants with a potential value of £300,000, which had been concealed.

Murray was arrested in the same month and the investigation into her revealed she had passed on intelligence and information to Lloyd and her sister.

That included information about crimes and investigations, persons of interest to police and information about the fatal shooting of Mark Short, the manhunt for Dale Cregan and the murders of PCs Nicola Hughes and Fiona Bone.

Police said she also told Lloyd of the investigation at Weir Mill and his connection to it.

Four other men were also jailed for their parts in the cannabis production.

Assistant Chief Constable Dawn Copley said Murray had "abused her position in an appalling way".

"That some of this information was passed directly to a known criminal for his own personal gain goes against every vow she made when she swore her oath and joined the police service.

"She also demonstrated significant disregard for her fallen colleagues when, at a time when the force was learning of and coming to terms with the tragic murders of Nicola Hughes and Fiona Bone, she should so inexcusably access police logs in order to pass on highly sensitive information to associates."

She added that Murray's offences were "in stark contrast to the many thousand trusting, committed and hardworking police officers and staff who work for Greater Manchester Police and who will be as appalled by her actions as I am".