A serving policeman accused of releasing confidential information from the NSW Police Force's internal database to an associate claims he did so because he "felt sorry" for the man he met only 24 hours earlier.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Senior Constable Dennis Hoyn, who lives in Fern Hill but is attached to the Campbelltown highway patrol unit, is facing six charges of wilful misconduct in public office during his trial in Wollongong District Court.
Crown prosecutor Justine Hopper alleged Hoyn, a police officer for 13 years, used his unique log-in to access the police's database, known as COPS (Computerised Operational Policing System), on 11 separate occasions in 2018 at the request of four different associates.
The men requested Hoyn look up the registration details of 10 vehicles - one of which was revealed to belong to the NSW Police Force - and private details on three individuals.
On each occasion, Hoyn allegedly used his mobile phone to take a picture of what was contained on COPS, then sent it to the associate who had requested it.
While police officers are legally able to access the database in the course of carrying out their duties, the Crown alleges Hoyn's access on each of these occasions had nothing to do with his job and was "unlawful and unjustified".
Hoyn has admitted accessing the database and passing the information onto associate but denies his actions were illegal, claiming he was performing his duties as an officer of the law.
Hoyn's recorded interview after his arrest at the Corrimal Hotel on the evening of December 5, 2018, was played in court on Thursday during the second day of trial.
Hoyn told officers attached to the NSW Police Force's Professional Standards Command that he met a man for the first time the previous night, December 4, at the same pub.
He said the man approached him at the hotel's gaming section, struck up a conversation before asking Hoyn whether he was a "copper".
Hoyn said the man told him he had previously seen Hoyn wearing his police-issued "boots" and that they had friends in common.
Hoyn said the man, who claimed to be a car wholesaler, told him he had lent $10,000 to a friend, who had passed it onto another person.
The man asked Hoyn to look up the eventual recipient of the money to confirm if he lived at Gosford as he was "worried about his money".
Hoyn told police he "thought about it" all morning while he was at work and decided to looked up the name after the man from the hotel sent him a text message, inviting him to met up at the pub that night.
Hoyn then used his phone to take a photo of the name and address of the man he was asked to look up, proving there was no one by that name living at Gosford.
Hoyn met up with the man after work at the Corrimal Hotel and showed him the photo.
The man then paid for several drinks for both of them throughout the night and let Hoyn use his money to place bets.
Hoyn, who told police he had a "gambling habit" at the time, denied he was paid for providing the information however conceded it could be seen to look like that as he had accepted the drinks and betting money.
"I went to the hotel with nothing in my wallet," Hoyn told officers. "I was putting bets on with his money. He gave me $400 to $500. I won about $200.
"I had not expectation of paying him back."
The interviewing officer suggested to Hoyn that he could have been "groomed" by the man to which Hoyn agreed was "possible"
"There is no way in the world I would ever take payment," Hoyn said.
"I should have known better.
"I have done the wrong thing. I felt sorry for him. I made a mistake.
"I've made a massive error looking someone up for him.
"I made a silly, silly, silly mistake for someone I felt sorry for.
"I'm getting hammered now for a bloke I don't know. He targeted me as someone who likes to have a bet."
The trial continues on Friday.
We depend on subscription revenue to support our journalism. If you are able, please subscribe here. If you are already a subscriber, thank you for your support.