Detective Inspector Emma Gardner, 46, of North Wales Police, is on trial at Caernarfon Crown Court accused of illegally accessing police computer records to pass information to a friend, allegedly telling him "I have my uses". Giving evidence on Tuesday, she denied any wrongdoing, insisting that every time she accessed police systems it was for a legitimate policing purpose. The case matters because it concerns alleged misuse of confidential police data by a serving senior officer.

Gardner, who joined the force in 2000 and worked in roles including the Protecting Vulnerable People Unit, told jurors she had dedicated her life to policing and had developed complex PTSD after attending child tragedies. She said she first met Simon Acton when he was a nightclub bouncer and she a uniformed officer in Rhyl, Denbighshire. The pair became Facebook friends and had a brief, non-romantic sexual connection, and she said Mr Acton later contacted her seeking advice about a relationship he described as "controlling".