A police officer in Derbyshire is under criminal investigation for the alleged illegal use of artificial intelligence (AI) to fabricate evidence in multiple criminal cases. This probe represents the first known case of its kind within the UK criminal justice system.
Officer Removed from Frontline Duties
The officer has been removed from frontline duties while the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) engages with defence lawyers and courts regarding affected cases. Derbyshire Police has not disclosed the officer's name, role, or specific details of the suspected misconduct. The force also declined to reveal how many cases may have been compromised or whether any individuals were wrongfully convicted and imprisoned as a result.
Allegations of Perverting the Course of Justice
The officer is being investigated for perverting the course of justice, an offence that carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. The investigation follows warnings from the National Police Chiefs' Council lead for AI, Alex Murray, who said several forces had been told to stop using AI technology for court preparation and other tasks due to reliability concerns.
Statements from Authorities
Derbyshire Police stated: "A criminal investigation has been launched into an allegation of perverting the course of justice after the alleged use of AI systems by an officer to create evidential material in a number of cases. The force is working closely with the Crown Prosecution Service in relation to any potentially impacted cases." They added that the investigation is in its early stages and no further details are available. The officer has been removed from frontline duties pending the outcome, and no arrests have been made. The force declined to specify what the evidential material consisted of, though the term can refer to witness statements.
The CPS commented: "We are working with Derbyshire Police as it conducts enquiries into the alleged use of Artificial Intelligence by an officer. We are engaging with defence teams and the courts in appropriate cases."
Broader Context of AI Misuse
Earlier this year, AI misuse contributed to the early retirement of West Midlands Chief Constable Craig Guildford. This followed Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood's loss of confidence in him over his force's handling of a decision to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from an Aston Villa match. The force's evidence supporting the ban included references to trouble at a previous game against West Ham United that had been invented by Microsoft's Copilot AI program.
