Undated handout photo of Choni Kenny (Image: Greater Manchester Police/PA Wire)
Liverpool Crown Court heard on Wednesday, April 23, that police officer Choni Kenny, 27, had a “casual sexual relationship” with “committed criminal” Josh Whelan, who she may have been “infatuated” with.
Kenny, who joined Greater Manchester Police in 2020, also had a “physical but casual” relationship with her former schoolmate Rahim Mottley, who was under investigation by police when he moved to Spain.
She used her position within the police force to access databases and pass information to Mottley, 27, and Whelan, 31. The court heard how Whelan was in possession of 20 different mobile phones while serving time in prison between 2021 and 2023 and their use was funded by Kenny. The pair would communicate with the devices that she paid for and delivered.
Kenny accessed police information and intelligence which she disclosed to Whelan, including a victim statement taken when he was accused of violence against a former partner, the court heard. During a GMP investigation, Kenny was also caught on prison CCTV visiting Whelan at Forest Bank dressed in her police uniform, the MEN reports.
In November 2022, when Whelan was released from a prison sentence, Kenny was seen with him in her BMW and went to a Nando’s restaurant with him, before going to work where she searched for details of prisoners released that week.
They split up after Whelan was released and Kenny then started a relationship with Mottley, who was under investigation by GMP and had moved to Spain. Mottley was extradited from Spain in October 2024 to face the courts following his arrest three months earlier by the National Crime Agency.
The court heard after Mottley was arrested in February 2022, Kenny searched police systems to access information about the investigation. She also told him about a planned police firearms raid and promised to find out who the “local grasses” were before attending a course about handling police informants, the court heard.
The court was told how he tasked Kenny to keep him up to date with police intelligence, which she did by accessing and passing on confidential information. An investigation proved she had accessed sensitive information on GMP’s IT system when she had no lawful purpose and had communicated with Whelan while he was in prison on the mobile phones she provided.
Mottley was arrested in Spain, where some of his family lived and Kenny had spent time with him, and was extradited to face proceedings. A GMP spokesman said Kenny had been dismissed following an accelerated misconduct hearing on April 1.
On Wednesday (April 23), Kenny, who had already been sacked by the force, pleaded guilty to four offences of misconduct in public office and one of conspiracy to commit misconduct with Mottley. She was sentenced to three years and nine months imprisonment.
Sentencing her, Judge Flewitt said: “Your actions were not motivated by a desire for a financial or other advantage or borne out of any malice. They were a consequence of your naivety, immaturity and wish to maintain the friendship of Josh Whelan and Rahim Mottley.”
He said the men “took advantage” and “exploited” Kenny’s willingness to disclose information which could be of benefit to themselves and criminal associates. But, he added: “You must have known that what you were doing was wrong.”
Mottley, 28, was sentenced to two years and four months after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit misconduct in a public office. Whelan, of Purley Avenue in Wythenshawe, Manchester, was jailed for two years and eight months after admitting three counts of possessing a specified item in prison, possession of a bladed article, racially aggravated assault, threatening behaviour and a bail offence.
Detective Chief Superintendent Mike Allen, head of GMP’s Professional Standards Directorate, said: “Whenever we receive reports of misconduct by one of our officers, we will always conduct a thorough investigation. Kenny abused her position as a police officer and tried to compromise a police investigation by accessing and passing on confidential information.
Undated handout photo of Josh Whelan (Image: Greater Manchester Police/PA Wire)
“She also entered into an illegal relationship with a known criminal while he was behind bars and given this criminality the full weight of our specialist Anti-Corruption Unit was brought to bear against her.
“Kenny’s actions plainly amounted to serious corruption and it is right that she now contemplates her future from behind the bars of the prison estate where she is now incarcerated.
“Kenny’s jail term is fully deserved – she does not represent the thousands of professional, honest, hard-working police officers across Greater Manchester who continue to protect the public every day.
“This anti-corruption operation against Kenny, Whelan and Mottley is testament to the expertise of GMP’s Anti-Corruption Unit and their commitment to ripping out any corruption that tries to take hold in GMP
“If any officers or members of the public have any suspicions about the behaviour of one of our officers then they should report in the confidence that we will investigate.”
Chief Constable Stephen Watson, who presided over the proceedings at Force Headquarters, said: “PC Kenny abused the position of responsibility reposed in her. This was not a single occurrence but rather multiple incidents which took place over a lengthy period.
Undated handout photo of Rahim Mottley (Image: Greater Manchester Police/PA Wire)
“The misconduct involved a deliberate breach of policy, procedure and instructions which make it abundantly clear to officers and staff that care and respect should always be afforded to information on police systems.
“The criminal misconduct included the conducting of undeclared intimate relationships with two persons with serious criminal associations. In the furtherance of these relationships, the officer, having accessed restricted police systems, unlawfully shared with both males, police information and intelligence.
“PC Kenny’s offending behaviour was simply unacceptable. Her accessing and sharing police data with active criminals is a tangible manifestation of a distinct lack of integrity, decency and moral fibre which additionally point to her being manifestly unsuited to the office of constable.”
Alan Richardson, Senior Crown Prosecutor for CPS North West, said: “As a police officer, Choni Kenny was trusted to uphold the law and protect the public, yet her conduct fell far below this when she became involved with two known criminals.
“Kenny then passed on information to known criminals that she had accessed on the police computer without a legitimate policing purpose. We worked closely with Greater Manchester Police to build a strong case leading to Choni Kenny accepting her guilt.
“The public quite rightly expect high standards from those responsible for upholding the law. The Crown Prosecution Service will not hesitate to bring charges against those who abuse their position.”