One of the few strictly Orthodox police officers in the UK has been charged with the improper use of the Police National Computer (PNC) and placed on restricted duties until a court appearance later this month.

PC Ephraim Chalk, 31, a police officer in Barnet, was charged by postal requisition.

In a statement, the Metropolitan Police said the charge “followed an alleged incident on March 21 during which the officer accessed the police system for a personal matter rather than a policing purpose.

“The officer will appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Thursday, 27 September.”

As of May 2017, the Home Office stated that the PNC, which contains several databases, included 12.2 million personal records, 58.5 million driver records, and 62.6 million vehicle records.