A former Dyfed-Powys Police CCTV operator who used cameras to track his partner’s movements has pleaded guilty to controlling and coercive behaviour and data protection offences.

Russell Hasler, of Maesteg, Panteg Cross, pleaded guilty to coercive and controlling behaviour and data protection offences two days before he was due to stand trial at Swansea Crown Court.

The court had heard that elements of the coercive control include monitoring a woman's movements on CCTV cameras.

The 41-year-old had initially denied the charges, which included a computer misuse offence of accessing the police's tasking and operational resource management system - known as Storm - to check information on the woman, on her former partners, and on her friends.

The prosecution accepted the not guilty plea on that charge.

Hasler was employed by Dyfed-Powys Police as a CCTV operator – a police staff role based in headquarters – from May 2019 until November 2023.

On 18 October 2023, the CCTV operator was arrested by officers from Dyfed-Powys Police’s Professional Standards Department on suspicion of coercive and controlling behaviour, computer misuse and data protection offences.

Hasler resigned from his police staff position while under investigation by the Professional Standards Department.

Hasler was subsequently charged with all three offences and admitted to the data protection offences on 5 March 2025.

Russell Hasler is due to be sentenced on Monday, 24 November at Swansea Crown Court.

Superintendent Phil Rowe, Head of the Professional Standards Department, said: “Domestic abuse will not be tolerated within Dyfed-Powys – whether the offender is a member of the public or from within our organisation.

"As a force, we are committed to working towards the elimination of domestic abuse, and that is a priority not just within our communities - but also internally here at Dyfed-Powys Police.

“We welcome this guilty plea and await the sentencing.”