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A police officer who used a work computer system to carry out checks on people seeing his former partners would have been sacked had he not already retired, a hearing has found.

The officer misused a "national police computer" and Thames Valley Police's "niche database" to gather information between 3 January and 14 October 2015.

The force said his actions amounted to "gross misconduct".

The un-named officer retired three days before the hearing.

The force said the officer had breached the "standards of professional behaviour" at a hearing before Chief Constable Francis Habgood on Thursday.

Deputy Chief Constable John Campbell said: "The former officer would have been dismissed had he still been serving.

"We take our duties in relation to confidential information extremely seriously and anyone who does not uphold this responsibility has no place within our force."