By . Wills Robinson . Kathryn Smith, 25, was sacked as a 999 call handler after leaking information during the hunt for one-eyed murderer Dale Cregan . A 999 call handler has been sacked for sharing the identity of a neighbour who tipped off police during the manhunt for Dale Cregan. Kathryn Smith, 25, from Droylsden, Manchester, gave her boyfriend, a 'childhood friend' of the murderer, the name of a man who alerted police about a suspicious car parked outside the home of Cregan’s mother Anita. The one-eyed-fugitive was . wanted wanted for two gangland murders at the time and later shot dead WPCs Fiona Bone, . 32, and Nicola Hughes, 23. Now 30, he is serving four whole life sentences for the murders. The unnamed neighbour was later confronted by Mrs Cregan, 56, about his call and was ‘questioned’ for six hours. He was subsequently warned his life might be at risk. Smith, whose father is a police inspector, later stood trial charged of misconduct in a public office after she was accused of helping the Cregan family during the manhunt. But she was acquitted in February after claiming the confidential information had been leaked as part of 'lovers’ tittle tattle' and didn’t realise the information would be passed on. Mrs Cregan and neighbour Sean Booth, 31, who at the time was Smith’s boyfriend, was cleared of aiding and abetting charges. Today Greater Manchester Police said Smith had been dismissed from her job fielding 999 calls at a police communications room at Chester House, near Manchester United’s Old Trafford football ground. She is appealing against the decision. A spokesman said: 'While the court found no criminal offences took place, the actions of the staff member in disclosing confidential police information and compromising a member of the public, who had the right to expect that information to be kept secure, clearly fell far below the standards we expect from our staff. ‘As a result, the staff member was dismissed from Greater Manchester Police. We can confirm an appeal against the dismissal has been lodged. During Smith’s trial at Manchester Crown Court earlier this year, the jury was told she used the force computer to look up incidents central to the hunt for Cregan. He had shot Mark Short, 23, in a pub in May 2012 then killed Short’s father David, 46, in a gun and grenade attack the following August. She also looked up details of police . operations, including the identity of the armed officers on patrol in . the area where Cregan was thought to be at large. Smith told her boyfriend Sean Booth, 31, the name of a neighbour who alerted police of a suspicious car outside Anita Cregan's home (right). Her son (left) was wanted for the murder of two police officers at the time . The court also heard Booth was a childhood friend of Cregan and was 'like a brother' to him. The investigation into Smith began after a caller rang police reporting a 'suspicious' car outside Mrs Cregan’s home. Minutes after the tip-off there was a raid on Mrs Cregan's home involving dozens of officers, with firearms warrant, dogs, and a helicopter. At the time the property was being bugged by police who were manning a listening post ‘up to 24 hours a day’ Smith, pictured outside Manchester Crown Court earlier this year, said she often spoke about her work with Booth, but 'trusted' he would not share it . In . recordings, Mrs Cregan was heard to talk about where the tip off came . from and said: 'I’m really not the type of person who can sit on that.’ Cregan, now 30, is currently serving four life sentences for murder . Later . she was heard saying: 'I have just text somebody saying we have got a grass . in the street, asked him who it was and he found out today, can you . believe it?' The vehicle’s owner, Cregan’s sister Kelly, was arrested, but later released without charge. 'The two policewomen were killed in September 2012 after Cregan made a hoax emergency call to the police. When they arrived, Cregan shot them and threw an M75 hand grenade at them. Both officers were hit by at least eight bullets as Cregan fired 32 shots in 31 seconds. He later handed himself in at a police station, admitting to killing Hughes and Bone. Later when Smith was confronted about her use of the force computer she claimed she was looking at it out of 'nosiness' and insisted there was 'nothing sinister.' She said she didn’t know Mrs Cregan but had been introduced to Cregan himself once by Booth in a pub and 'didn’t like him'. She claimed she often talked about her work with Booth and 'trusted' he would not share it with anyone else. Booth admitted passing on the information but claimed he did it because he believed neighbours ‘had it in’ for Mrs Cregan.
Kathryn Smith, 25, was sacked after leaking information to her boyfriend .
Told Sean Booth, 31, about neighbour who alerted police to suspicious car .
Vehicle was outside the home of Cregan's mother, Anita, during his manhunt .
Court heard earlier this year that Booth was a 'childhood friend' of Cregan .
Cregan, now 30, is serving four life sentences for murder .
By . Wills Robinson . Kathryn Smith, 25, was sacked as a 999 call handler after leaking information during the hunt for one-eyed murderer Dale Cregan . A 999 call handler has been sacked for sharing the identity of a neighbour who tipped off police during the manhunt for Dale Cregan. Kathryn Smith, 25, from Droylsden, Manchester, gave her boyfriend, a 'childhood friend' of the murderer, the name of a man who alerted police about a suspicious car parked outside the home of Cregan’s mother Anita. The one-eyed-fugitive was . wanted wanted for two gangland murders at the time and later shot dead WPCs Fiona Bone, . 32, and Nicola Hughes, 23. Now 30, he is serving four whole life sentences for the murders. The unnamed neighbour was later confronted by Mrs Cregan, 56, about his call and was ‘questioned’ for six hours. He was subsequently warned his life might be at risk. Smith, whose father is a police inspector, later stood trial charged of misconduct in a public office after she was accused of helping the Cregan family during the manhunt. But she was acquitted in February after claiming the confidential information had been leaked as part of 'lovers’ tittle tattle' and didn’t realise the information would be passed on. Mrs Cregan and neighbour Sean Booth, 31, who at the time was Smith’s boyfriend, was cleared of aiding and abetting charges. Today Greater Manchester Police said Smith had been dismissed from her job fielding 999 calls at a police communications room at Chester House, near Manchester United’s Old Trafford football ground. She is appealing against the decision. A spokesman said: 'While the court found no criminal offences took place, the actions of the staff member in disclosing confidential police information and compromising a member of the public, who had the right to expect that information to be kept secure, clearly fell far below the standards we expect from our staff. ‘As a result, the staff member was dismissed from Greater Manchester Police. We can confirm an appeal against the dismissal has been lodged. During Smith’s trial at Manchester Crown Court earlier this year, the jury was told she used the force computer to look up incidents central to the hunt for Cregan. He had shot Mark Short, 23, in a pub in May 2012 then killed Short’s father David, 46, in a gun and grenade attack the following August. She also looked up details of police . operations, including the identity of the armed officers on patrol in . the area where Cregan was thought to be at large. Smith told her boyfriend Sean Booth, 31, the name of a neighbour who alerted police of a suspicious car outside Anita Cregan's home (right). Her son (left) was wanted for the murder of two police officers at the time . The court also heard Booth was a childhood friend of Cregan and was 'like a brother' to him. The investigation into Smith began after a caller rang police reporting a 'suspicious' car outside Mrs Cregan’s home. Minutes after the tip-off there was a raid on Mrs Cregan's home involving dozens of officers, with firearms warrant, dogs, and a helicopter. At the time the property was being bugged by police who were manning a listening post ‘up to 24 hours a day’ Smith, pictured outside Manchester Crown Court earlier this year, said she often spoke about her work with Booth, but 'trusted' he would not share it . In . recordings, Mrs Cregan was heard to talk about where the tip off came . from and said: 'I’m really not the type of person who can sit on that.’ Cregan, now 30, is currently serving four life sentences for murder . Later . she was heard saying: 'I have just text somebody saying we have got a grass . in the street, asked him who it was and he found out today, can you . believe it?' The vehicle’s owner, Cregan’s sister Kelly, was arrested, but later released without charge. 'The two policewomen were killed in September 2012 after Cregan made a hoax emergency call to the police. When they arrived, Cregan shot them and threw an M75 hand grenade at them. Both officers were hit by at least eight bullets as Cregan fired 32 shots in 31 seconds. He later handed himself in at a police station, admitting to killing Hughes and Bone. Later when Smith was confronted about her use of the force computer she claimed she was looking at it out of 'nosiness' and insisted there was 'nothing sinister.' She said she didn’t know Mrs Cregan but had been introduced to Cregan himself once by Booth in a pub and 'didn’t like him'. She claimed she often talked about her work with Booth and 'trusted' he would not share it with anyone else. Booth admitted passing on the information but claimed he did it because he believed neighbours ‘had it in’ for Mrs Cregan.
By . Wills Robinson . Kathryn Smith, 25, was alerted police about a suspicious car parked outside the home of Cregan’s mother Anita. The Crown Court earlier this year, the jury was told Smith told her boyfriend Sean Booth, 31, the name of a neighbour who alerted police of a suspicious was a childhood friend of Cregan and was 'like a can sit on that.’ Cregan, now 30, is currently serving four life sentences for murder . Later .