A 20-year-old trainee police officer has been permanently banned from the force after leaking confidential information to her drug dealer boyfriend in a serious breach of security protocols.
Unauthorized Access and Information Leak
Maryam Ilyas, formerly of West Yorkshire Police, accessed the force's computer systems on three separate occasions between March and May 2025 to obtain confidential data about her boyfriend. The young officer then passed this sensitive information to her criminal partner, alerting him about an ongoing police operation targeting his activities.
The misconduct came to light in June 2025 when authorities arrested the drug dealer and discovered incriminating messages between the couple. The evidence included photographs of money and conversations about illegal drugs, painting a clear picture of their relationship.
Failed Vetting and Denial of Wrongdoing
During her recruitment process in June 2024, Ilyas deliberately failed to disclose her relationship with the known criminal. When questioned by investigators in January 2025, she claimed she was 'unaware of his criminal history' - a statement contradicted by subsequent evidence.
Before her disciplinary hearing, Ilyas attempted to justify her actions, telling The Sun: 'I was a student officer. I was really new to all this and I feel like I was expected to know everything straight away.'
Gross Misconduct Findings and Lifetime Ban
Catherine Hankinson, the force's former deputy chief constable, presided over the hearing and determined that Ilyas's conduct had been 'repeated', 'sustained' and 'intentional'. The messages between Ilyas and her boyfriend indicated their relationship continued until July 2025.
Although Ilyas resigned ahead of yesterday's disciplinary hearing, the panel ruled that she would have been dismissed otherwise. She admitted to all allegations, including failing to declare the relationship on her vetting form, and was found to have committed gross misconduct.
Ms Hankinson emphasized that 'the public rightly expect police officers to act with honesty and integrity' and noted that 'the vast majority of officers in West Yorkshire Police do uphold those high standards.' She concluded that 'the conduct of the former officer does a disservice to the public and to her colleagues.'
