"I just snuck a look at the event.""Reads well in your favour mate, albeit they kept it respectful towards her."These are some of the first text messages Sergeant Shannon Daniel Cooper sent to his long-term friend, minutes after illegally accessing the police's internal database for confidential information about the friend's domestic violence matter.The man who was under investigation by police was a former officer and close friend of the sergeant, who is stationed at Belmont Police Station, south of Newcastle."Thankyou mate!! … You are a good man," the friend replied.The night before, police from another command had attended the man's home after being called to a suspected domestic violence incident.Officers spoke to the man's partner who "told them certain information", according to court documents."Everyone will hate her for this," Sergeant Cooper told his friend."She is a low life c***, I f***ing hate her now after this mate," the friend replied.Shortly after this text exchange on the morning of September 11, 2025, the man's partner attended a police station to report alleged domestic and family violence.The man reached out again to Sergeant Cooper.2:52pmFriend: "Answer your phone dawg!!!?3:30pmFriend: "???"Sergeant Cooper: "Stand by mate"3:50pmFriend: "Sorry mate my anxiety is through the roof"Sergeant Cooper: "I bloody imagine mate Just the incident with you as a suspect"Sergeant Cooper: "This is so f***ed"Friend: "Is it only one incident?"Friend: "Is the incident recent?"Sergeant Cooper: "I didn't even look at the date