For nearly two years Simon Hindmarsh, an officer based in Wallsend, used the Northumbria Police database to check the details of named individuals living near his home in Ashington, Newcastle Crown Court was told.

The 28-year-old claimed he had been told the men and women were involved in drug dealing and wanted to check their criminal records.

But Hindmarsh never passed on any of the information he had been told and admitted using the records to simply check up on people he had met.

Hindmarsh, of Blackdene, Ashington, accessed records relating to 11 people and numerous businesses on 78 occasions.

Seven of the named individuals were people he had met at his local gym.

He admitted 13 charges of obtaining personal data without consent from Northumbria Police's Integrated Command and Control System when he appeared at Newcastle Crown Court.

He also admitted two further offences of disclosing personal information without the consent of the data controller.

Hindmarsh, who resigned from the force on the day he pleaded guilty to the charges, was fined £1,515.

The maximum penalty for the offence is an unlimited fine.

Michael Graham, prosecuting, said Hindmarsh used his own warrant card and identification number to access the information.

"The defendant said he had accessed this information out of curiosity," said Mr Graham.

John Elvidge, defending, said Hindmarsh did not make any personal gain from the information and there was no suggestion he was involved in any corrupt activities.

Judge Esmond Faulks told Hindmarsh: "I accept that this was not a money-making venture.

"Nevertheless you breached internal police rules, and more importantly you breached the Data Protection Act."