**Police Employee Jailed after Illegally Passing Sensitive Force Data to Drug Dealer Partner**
A former South Wales Police administrator has been imprisoned after it emerged she repeatedly accessed confidential police records to aid her partner, a known drug dealer, in what a judge called a “serious harm to policing and the public interest.” The news has sent ripples through the force, raising questions about internal safeguards and the impact such a breach can have on ongoing investigations.
Lucy Langmead, 44, of Tonteg, leveraged her trusted position at Pontypridd police station to search the Police National Computer for personal reasons and to share information with Daniel Cozens, 37, her boyfriend and a figure with ties to organised drug crime. The sentencing took place at Cardiff Crown Court on 3 June, following a detailed investigation that revealed the full extent of her illicit activity.
Langmead, described as a mother of three and a police employee since 2005, began a relationship with Cozens—a habitual user of cocaine and cannabis—in 2021. Prosecutors detailed how Langmead’s access to police databases was grossly misused. She not only looked up data for her partner but also on behalf of friends and out of what the court heard was “morbid curiosity”, including information on sensitive murder cases.
The court was told that Langmead conducted these searches from as early as May 2020. One of her first unauthorised look-ups involved details about her sister-in-law following a drink-driving arrest. Subsequent searches related to live police investigations, acquaintances, and—most worryingly—were done at the behest of Cozens or his criminal associates. She accessed records on several people, including Cozens himself, his contacts, and others involved in the local drugs underworld. The information she passed on included custody photographs and details of active warrants.
Sentencing judge Recorder Tracey Lloyd-Clarke made clear Langmead’s actions amounted to a significant breach of public trust. “This was a gross breach of trust by you, Ms. Langmead. You have done serious harm to policing and the public interest,” she said, noting there was no direct financial incentive but that both had sought status and advantage within criminal circles.
The breach came to light in late 2021 after suspicions were raised on the streets of Pontypridd. The girlfriend of one drug associate let slip to a Police Community Support Officer that her partner was aware of covert police surveillance, pinpointing the link to someone “giving them information.” This resulted in an internal inquiry using auditing tools, which soon flagged Langmead’s repeated unauthorised searches.
Upon arrest, both Langmead and Cozens had their devices seized. Investigators discovered not only messages corroborating the illegal data sharing but also evidence of wider criminality. When police searched Cozens’s property, drugs and paraphernalia linked to supply offences were found.
Langmead admitted conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office, alongside multiple counts of unauthorised computer access and unlawfully disclosing personal data. Cozens pleaded guilty to similar conspiracy charges, drug trafficking, and possession offences. Langmead was jailed for two years and 11 months; Cozens received one year and eight months.
Langmead’s defence highlighted her previously unblemished record and personal circumstances, including being a sole parent to three children, one with severe anxiety, and the challenges of a high-risk pregnancy. Cozens, meanwhile, claimed minimal financial gain and cited struggles with addiction and mental health as factors in his involvement.
In a statement following the sentencing, Chief Superintendent Bella Rees, head of professional standards for South Wales Police, underscored the gravity of such breaches: “Staff and officers are entrusted with highly sensitive information. Any abuse of this access is not only a betrayal of trust but puts ongoing investigations at risk and will be met with firm consequences.”
The Crown Prosecution Service echoed these sentiments, pointing out that Langmead’s actions imperilled legitimate police work and opened up avenues for criminals to evade justice. The audit trail, however, ensured the conspiracy was ultimately unravelled.
This case serves as a stark reminder of the responsibilities that lie with those working in law enforcement—and the serious implications when those responsibilities are abused for personal or criminal motives. For the wider community, it also highlights the mechanisms in place to detect, investigate, and prosecute such offending, thereby upholding the rule of law.