Housam Khatib: NSW police officer charged over ‘data breach’

A police officer has been charged with illegally accessing information in the internal computer systems for more than two years, which eventually landed in the hands of a major crime gang.

A NSW Police officer has been charged over an allaged ‘data breach’. Picture: Gaye Gerard

A decorated police officer has been charged with illegally accessing information in the force’s internal computer systems for more than two years - that eventually landed in the hands of a major Sydney crime gang.

Leading Senior Constable Housam Khatib, 33, was not present at Bankstown Local Court on February 1 when the Director of Public Prosecutions elected to take carriage of the case.

Khatib, who is an officer with the Bankstown Highway Patrol, was charged with eight counts of accessing or modifying restricted data held in a computer and one count of a holder of public office misconduct him or herself. No pleas have been entered.

It is not alleged that Khatib directly passed information on to the major Sydney crime gang - that has been involved in the city’s ongoing underworld war, but rather that the restricted data he accessed wound up in their hands.

A NSW Police officer has been charged over an allaged ‘data breach’. Picture: Gaye Gerard

NSW Police confirmed Strike Force Killinger was created in May following reports a senior constable has allegedly accessed restricted data while undertaking his duties.

Court documents state Khatib unlawfully accessed sensitive information “which was released to others” from November 2019 to January 2023 at Revesby.

Khatib also accessed the COPS system twice in July 2022 to search two names despite knowing “the access was unauthorised”.

Between January and September last year, Khatib also used the COPS system to access restricted data on five names, a break and enter incident, a Condell Park address and a vehicle’s registration.

The decorated officer has been suspended with pay since October and his employment status is currently under review.

The officer was charged with eight counts of accessing or modifying restricted data held in a computer and one count of a holder of public office misconduct him or herself. Picture: Gaye Gerard

Officers from the NSW Police Professional Standards Command raided Khatib’s home on the day he was suspended and during a search warrant seized several electronic devices.

Khatib was named a Service Officer of the Year in 2020 by The Rotary Club of Padstow for his work in “keeping the community safe on our roads”.

He was also involved in running sessions about road safety with Sydney school children, including teaching them about the dangers of alcohol, drugs and not wearing a seatbelt in August.

Magistrate Shane McAnulty adjourned the matter for April 3 at Burwood Local Court.