Shane McEntee: Wonthaggi cop checks stepdaughter’s boyfriends’ records
A former Wonthaggi cop illegally checked the records of his stepdaughter’s boyfriend who he believed was charged with rape.
Bass Coast News
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A former Wonthaggi cop has been fined after he illegally checked the records of his stepdaughter’s boyfriend who he believed had been charged with rape.
Shane McEntee, 53 of Phillip Island, pleaded guilty at Korumburra Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday to three charges of unauthorised access and disclosure of information held by Victoria Police.
The court heard McEntee, a senior constable at the time, accessed the police database for personal reasons between January and December 2019.
This breached a conflict of interest policy stopping officers from using the database to investigate matters involving family and friends.
On June 16, the cop accessed the database while on-duty at Wonthaggi police station and searched for his stepdaughter’s boyfriend.
The court heard the relationship between the stepdaughter and boyfriend caused “angst” among McEntee’s family.
On other occasions, the cop checked his partner’s licence and registration details.
Lawyer Meaghan Crouch said McEntee was concerned after he believed his stepdaughter’s boyfriend had been charged with rape.
“He acknowledged that what he did was a breach of policy,” Ms Crouch said.
“But at the time he didn’t see that it was hurting anyone to make those inquiries.”
Ms Crouch said the man worked in the police force for eight years before he was stood down in 2020.
Magistrate Guillaume Bailin said the experienced cop “deceived” the system.
“He wanted to be a police officer, that was his desire and purpose and it’s been thrown away with inquiries he could have made lawfully,” he said.
Magistrate Bailin said McEntee made “mundane” and “stupid” decisions.
The man was fined $6500 without conviction.
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