A CIVILIAN investigator working for Dorset Police denied illegally accessing police records in court yesterday.

Malcolm Geal, a 56-year-old former officer with West Yorkshire Police, pleaded not guilty to 11 counts of breaching the Data Protection Act by looking up and passing on personal data from criminal records and incident logs on the Dorset Police computer system.

Bournemouth Crown Court heard the alleged offences are said to have taken place at Dorset Police Headquarters in Winfrith between December 7 last year and January 13.

Geal, of Matchams Lane, Christchurch, was released on unconditional bail to attend Bournemouth court for trial on December 17.