Merseyside Sergeant Daniel Hughes Linked to EncroChat Criminals

Temporary Sergeant Daniel Hughes, a 40‑year‑old officer with two decades of service in Merseyside Police, was seriously injured in two separate attacks while on duty. A Manchester Crown Court hearing revealed that Hughes maintained undisclosed personal relationships with individuals involved in organised crime who used the encrypted EncroChat network. He socialised, holidayed and attended race meetings with these contacts and accessed police databases, including the Police National Computer and Merseyside’s Niche system, to conduct unauthorised searches on people such as Steven Noone, Phillip Lam, Anthony Harrison and Frederick Connolly between 2016 and 2021. Hughes also shared case‑related gossip in a WhatsApp group. The judge noted his courage on duty but warned that his conduct created a conflict of interest. No criminal charge of misconduct in public office was brought, and he was not found to have disclosed confidential information or received financial benefit.