Former Australian netball team captain Laura Geitz has been caught up in a scandal with allegations a Gold Coast police officer illegally accessed her personal information.
Broadbeach officer Stephen Patrick Wright has been stood down after allegedly illegally accessing more than a dozen people’s files, including Ms Geitz, between April and October 2016.
It is alleged he accessed the Queensland Police Records and information management Exchange (QPRIME) database without consent over 80 times in that period – a figure that has been disputed by his lawyer, Calvin Gnech.
Police confirm the officer was stood down from official duties last December over the allegations, but was still allowed to perform “non-operational duties”.
This is far from the first time a Queensland police officer has been involved with alleged unauthorised use of the QPRIME database.
In just June last year, a 47-year-old Brisbane-based policeman was similarly charged for his unauthorised use of the system following a Crime and Corruption Commission investigation.
In September 2016, Renee Eaves discovered her QPRIME file had been checked 1400 times between 2008 and May, 2016. Ms Eaves said officers are meant to give a reason each time they access a file, yet she was not contacted nor was there any explanation for the 1400 cases.
Officer Wright has been charged with computer hacking and appeared in Southport Magistrates Court on Tuesday, with the case adjourned until February 28.
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