Natalie Mottram, a corrupt police intelligence analyst, has been sentenced to three years and nine months in prison for tipping off a criminal associate about law enforcement’s access to the encrypted communication platform EncroChat.
Mottram was arrested in June 2020 and subsequently pleaded guilty to misconduct in public office, perverting the course of justice, and unauthorized access to computer material. Her actions compromised a significant operation against EncroChat, which was a widely used encrypted platform among organized crime groups in Europe.
While working in a regional organized crime unit on secondment from Cheshire constabulary, Mottram was briefed on the U.K. National Crime Agency’s access to EncroChat conversations. The platform was compromised by cyber specialists working for French and Dutch police in 2020, leading to the arrest of thousands of suspects across Europe. Among those being investigated based on these messages was Jonathan Kay, with whom Mottram had a close relationship. She divulged sensitive information about the covert operation to Kay.
Investigators apprehended Mottram after suspecting a leak and asked her to review a fabricated intelligence log referring to Kay. She then briefed Kay and his partner about the intelligence log while under surveillance by the National Crime Agency.
In addition to her admitted crimes, evidence showed that Mottram had bought cannabis from a dealer whose number was saved in her mobile phone and shared information about a murder file she had seen on her boss’s desk. The case highlights the commitment of law enforcement to maintain high standards and root out officers or staff who fail to meet them.
