A police officer who was “infatuated” with her convicted criminal boyfriend has been jailed for sharing sensitive information with him.
Lorna Pennycook, 38, illegally accessed information on West Midlands Police systems between 2017 and 2021 and gave it to Anthony Kennedy, 43, who has 18 previous convictions for offences such as vehicle theft, while she was in a relationship with him.
She shared information about Kennedy, his vehicles, and crime in the Sandwell area of Birmingham after meeting him on a dating site in 2016, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said.
Pennycook, of Walsall, pleaded guilty to one count of misconduct in public office in March 2023 and was sentenced to four years in prison at Birmingham Crown Court on Thursday.
Between August and November 2017, she sought information about two HGV thefts Kennedy was involved in on August 22, 2017 and October 26, 2017 while she worked for West Midlands Police.
The information gave Kennedy an “advantage” and had the potential to impede active police investigations, the CPS said.
Messages showed Kennedy wanted to end the relationship when he found out Pennycook was a police officer in 2017, but she replied telling him she had “accepted everything” about him, adding: “You don’t choose who you love.”
In a police interview following her arrest, Pennycook said Kennedy had “ruined her life” and she was in fear of him, the CPS said.
Kennedy, of Tipton, admitted encouraging or assisting offences believing one or more will be committed in March 2024, and was sentenced to four years in prison on Thursday.
Malcolm McHaffie, head of the Crown Prosecution Service’s special crime division, said: “Lorna Pennycook became infatuated with Anthony Kennedy, and provided him with extremely sensitive information over a four-year period.
“There is evidence that Kennedy encouraged her to conduct the criminal searches on some occasions, but Pennycook must also take responsibility for her shameful actions, which have risked damaging public trust and confidence in police officers.
“She persuaded Kennedy that she could assist him when he attempted to break off the relationship and must now face the consequences of passing confidential material to a convicted criminal.”
Director of Operations for the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) Steve Noonan said: “Ex-Pc Pennycook’s actions were corrupt and criminal.
“Abusing her position of power to assist criminal activity rather than clamp down on it was a complete betrayal of the public’s trust and such behaviour has no place in policing.
“She has now been held accountable for her actions and has a criminal record as a result.
“This investigation is testament to how seriously the IOPC, law enforcement agencies and the criminal justice system takes this kind of behaviour and I am grateful to all those involved in ensuring justice was served today.”
