EditorFormer police CCTV operator sentenced for coercive abuse and data offences
Russell Hasler, 42, from Llandysul, was handed a 17‑month prison sentence — suspended for 18 months — at Swansea Crown Court on Monday 24 November. He was also ordered to complete 180 hours of unpaid work, attend 20 days of rehabilitation activity, and pay a £500 fine. A five‑year restraining order has been imposed to protect the victim.
Hasler had worked as a civilian CCTV operator for Dyfed‑Powys Police until his arrest in October 2023. He resigned the following month and was later charged with coercive and controlling behaviour towards his ex‑partner, alongside offences under data protection and computer misuse legislation.
He admitted the data protection offence and initially denied coercive control, but changed his plea shortly before trial. The computer misuse charge was dropped from proceedings.
Victim impact statement: “The damage cannot be undone”
In a statement read to the court, the victim described the long‑term impact of the abuse, saying:
“There were times when the emotional pain, torment and relentlessness of the abuse became so overwhelming that I questioned whether I could carry on.”
She detailed ongoing cognitive and physical symptoms linked to chronic anxiety and stress, including memory lapses, intrusive thoughts, and persistent discomfort.
Police response: “A profound betrayal of public trust”
Detective Constable Simon Reynolds, from Dyfed‑Powys Police’s Professional Standards Department, said the case represented a serious breach of public trust.
“Controlling and coercive behaviour has a devastating impact on its victims,” he said. “The fact that Russell Hasler was a police staff member at the time of offending, compounded by his breaching of Data Protection legislation, is a profound betrayal of the standards that the public should rightly expect.”
He praised the victim’s courage in supporting the investigation and said the sentencing should reassure the public that such offences are taken seriously.
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