A police officer has narrowly avoided losing her job after accessing personal information on a police database for her own benefit.

Detective Constable Hayley Campbell admitted looking for information but said she did not know it breached protocol as she had not received sufficient training on what constituted a "legitimate policing purpose" — the criteria all checks must meet.

The officer, who works at Tonbridge police station and joined the force in 2007 and CID in 2009, claimed it was not until 2013 that she learned the right circumstances in which to access information.

The misconduct hearing at Kent Police Headquarters in Maidstone, which is one of the first to be heard in public, heard DC Campbell used the Genesis system on seven occasions to find out the middle name and date of birth of a relative and also check the progress of a case in which her vehicle had been vandalised.

“You were naive not to know the difference between a private matter and your professional role.” - Assistant Chief Constable Rob Price

She accessed the database in order to fill out a vetting form to work at the Olympics and to check on the progress of the vandalism investigation as she was making an insurance claim.

Simon Walsh, prosecuting, questioned her intentions and claimed the offences, which occurred in 2012 and 2009 respectively but only came to light this year, amount to gross misconduct which can carry a punishment of dismissal.

He told the hearing, by accessing details of a relative she was able to see warnings relating to that individual, details on previous offences and access more sensitive information without leaving a footprint on the system.

Chairman of the Kent Police Federation Ian Pointon, who defended DC Campbell, said her actions only amounted to a minor breach of policy and stem from insufficient training.

The tribunal, chaired by Assistant Chief Constable Rob Price, heard how the officer would have been told at numerous points during her training that sensitive information can only be accessed for a legitimate policing purpose.

Described by colleagues as an exemplary officer DC Campbell, who was a PC at the time of the incidents, told the hearing she had never been told what this term meant.

The panel found DC Campbell had breached professional standards and the Data Protection Act but, stating the offences had not resulted in personal gain, found her guilty of misconduct, a lesser offence which does not usually result in dismissal.

Mr Price said: “You were naive not to know the difference between a private matter and your professional role.”

DC Campbell, who is off work at the moment due to illness, was given a final written warning.