A WEST Midlands Police officer passed on highly confidential information to his friends and in one case even helped to defeat justice, a court heard on Wednesday (26).

Police Sergeant Iftikhar Ali, 39, from Shirley, Solihull, is accused of targeting crime reports, investigation logs and even reports involving threats to life.

He has pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to pervert the course of justice, five charges of misconduct in a public office and five of disclosing personal data.

The officer was suspended from police duties following his arrest in March 2018.

James Curtis QC, prosecuting at Birmingham Crown Court, said “Iftikhar Ali was a uniformed sergeant in the West Midlands Police who was, we say, a bad police man and he is currently suspended.

“We say he deliberately abused his unique position as a trusted officer to help his friends and acquaintances with regards to various brushes with the police that they had had.

“He did this by accessing sensitive and highly confidential information, data, in the police computers about incidents that his friends and acquaintances had been involved in when we say this obviously was nothing to do with his duties.

“He knew he was forbidden to do it.”

Three other men, who do not work for the force, have also been charged in connection to the case.

Waheed Mohammed, 28, of Willows Road, Balsall Heath, has been charged with conspiring to pervert the course of justice and two counts of aiding and abetting misconduct in a public office.

Azhar Mahmood, 32, of Birchfield Road, Perry Barr, has been charged with two counts of aiding and abetting misconduct in a public office.

Naser Ali, 28, of Churchill Road, Bordesley Green, has been charged with conspiring to pervert the course of justice and aiding and abetting misconduct in a public office.