32-year-old Sydney police offer Joshua Wootton pleaded guilty to stalking a woman using a restricted police database. Image source: sv1ambo, CC BY 2.0
32-year-old Sydney police offer Joshua Alan James Wootton pleaded guilty to stalking a woman and using a restricted police database to search for details about her partner, reports say.
Wootton has been a member of the NSW Police since December 2019 as part of the Eastern Suburbs Police Area Command.
On June 7 of 2022, Wootton faced court after being charged with nine offences, including allegations of stalking, sexual assault and domestic violence.
Wootton was arrested in July, but was granted conditional bail.
His alleged crimes date back as far as 2014 when he was accused of raping a woman in July 2014 and again in December 2017, both of which predate his employment with NSW Police.
In August 2022, 11 charges, including 10 counts of stalking, were laid against him.
The Director of Public Prosecutions described the case as a “complex matter”.
Wootton was stood down from his duties while NSW Police reviewed his employment, but the matter was adjourned.
Last Thursday, Wootton pleaded guilty to stalking a woman over a period of 11 days in February 2022 and using the COPS database unlawfully to search for details about her partner.
On Valentines Day last year, he appeared at the woman’s house unannounced and left roses on her driveway.
She told him that the behaviour was inappropriate and urged him to stop.
“I don’t know what your game plan is, but you need to stop your behaviour,” she said.
Wootton then proceeded to stalk her on seven separate occasions from 17–28 February, using a GoGet hire car to conceal himself near her home, workplace and other locations.
On February 25, he accessed the COPS database to access data about a man he had seen the woman enter a residence with.
He made up false reasons and entries in order to search the database which is strictly intended for use in lawful matters.
On the last known instance of stalking, Wootton visited the woman’s former workplace and spoke to an employee working there.
The employee notified her of his presence with a text message.
“Josh is [here] he wants to have a chat with me, is there anything I should say or not say?” they asked.
“Say whatever you want. Why the fuck is he [there]? He’s a freak,” the woman replied.
Wootton will face a sentence hearing on June 9.
The outcomes of other charges against Wootton remain unclear.
