A former Social Services Support Officer from Verwood has been prosecuted for accessing Social Care records without relevant authorisation.

An internal investigation at Dorset County Council found that Michelle Shipsey had inappropriately accessed the Social Care records relating to four individuals known to Ms Shipsey between May 25th and July 26th last year without any business need to do so.

Ms Shipsey, of Manor Gardens, Verwood, appeared before Poole Magistrates’ Court and admitted one offence of unlawfully obtaining personal data, in breach of s170 of the Data Protection Act 2018.

She was sentenced to a six-month conditional discharge, ordered to pay costs of £700 and a victim surcharge of £20.