A WEST Yorkshire Police officer has been jailed after she admitted making unauthorised searches on the force's computers.  

PC Sanya Shahid, 31, an officer based in the Leeds district, appeared at Leeds Crown Court today and was sentenced to nine months behind bars for three counts of unauthorised access to computer material.  

An investigation was carried out by West Yorkshire Police's Counter Corruption Unit, under the direction of the Independent Officer for Police Conduct.  

It found that PC Shahid carried out unauthorised searches on a number of police databases to access information about people known to her.

The offences took place in October 2020.  

Detective Chief Superintendent Nicola Bryar, head of West Yorkshire Police's Professional Standards, said: "We make it very clear to all employees from the outset of their employment that they must only access information held on police systems for a legitimate policing purpose.

"The public quite rightly should expect that any sensitive and confidential information recorded about them is protected.  

"It was clear from this investigation that PC Shahid had no policing purpose in making the searches she carried out on West Yorkshire Police computer systems.

"I hope this case helps demonstrates how seriously we take any suggestion of unauthorised access of data."  

PC Shahid is currently suspended from duty and misconduct proceedings will now start, a force spokesperson said.