By Tony O’Reilly-
A legal professional working for the Crown Prosecution Service(CPS) has been handed an 18-month suspended sentence for using her position at the Crown Prosecution Service to access information to help her criminal boyfriend.
Kiera Greenslade of Luton worked as a paralegal at CPS Thames and Chiltern when the offences took place around four years ago. She resigned from the organisation in February 2022.
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The CPS said Greenslade, who is now 27, had used the service’s internal database to find and send a picture of her then-boyfriend’s Police National Computer record in November 2021.
Weeks later, Greenslade accessed a case file and sent a screenshot of information relating to her boyfriend and the police investigation into him from the CPS secure Case Management System.
As part of a subsequent probe, police searched Greenslade’s home and seized her mobile phone, laptops and other CPS property.
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It emerged that around the time of the offences Greenslade had messaged her boyfriend to tell him she had looked through “hundreds of cases in North London” and checked listings to see if he was appearing in any remand courts.
Greenslade pleaded guilty to misconduct in public office and on Friday last week she was handed a six-month jail sentence, suspended for 18 months, at Southwark Crown Court. She will also be required to attend 15 days of rehabilitation training as part of the sentence.
The CPS said its CMS carried a warning for all users that cases can only be accessed for legitimate business needs and that, for security purposes, staff must not take screenshots or share recordings of the pages.
A CPS spokesperson said Greenslade had abused her position as a paralegal to try and help a man who was suspected of – and who went on to be convicted of – a serious criminal offence.
“She ignored warnings on the login page which clearly tells users you can only access case files for a legitimate business purpose or with the authorisation of your line manager,” the spokesperson said.
“While cases like this are extremely rare, the CPS will not stand idly by and allow anyone, including our own staff, to abuse a position of power to benefit criminals.”
CPS (Child Protective Services) staff are bound by legal and professional codes of conduct that mandate high ethical standards and moral behaviour to ensure child welfare is paramount.
These expectations are enshrined in law and regulations, varying by jurisdiction (e.g., state or country), and breaches can lead to disciplinary action, including dismissal or criminal prosecution.
Key legal and professional expectations for CPS staff moral conduct include: The child’s safety and well-being must always be the primary consideration, overriding other loyalties or considerations.
Staff are also expected to demonstrate honesty and integrity by being truthful, act with integrity, and avoid abusing their position for personal gain or advantage. This includes the accurate reporting of information and handling of finances.
Employees must establish and maintain clear boundaries with service users and their families. This legally and ethically prohibits pursuing personal, sexual, emotional, or financial relationships with clients and their carers.
Information must be treated as confidential, only disclosed when legally permitted (e.g., with consent, in the public interest, or to prevent harm).
Non-discrimination and Fairness: Staff are expected to treat all individuals fairly, with respect, and without bias regarding age, race, disability, religion, sex, or sexual orientation. Personal values or biases should not impact the service provided.
There is a legal and professional duty to report any concerns about a child’s safety and well-being, or the misconduct/incompetence of a colleague, to the appropriate authorities promptly.
Staff are also expected to understand and operate within the limits of their professional knowledge, skills, and legal authority.
Employees may be subject to disciplinary action if their off-duty conduct brings the service into disrepute or impacts their suitability to work with vulnerable people. They must report any cautions or convictions for criminal offences.
These standards are typically outlined in an organization’s official CPS Code of Conduct or a relevant professional body’s standards (such as the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) for social workers in the UK)
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