Sussex Police Officer Dismissed After Abusing His Position For Sexual Purpose

A Sussex police officer has been dismissed without notice after he abused his position to pursue a sexual relationship with a member of the public.

A misconduct hearing was held at Sussex Police headquarters on 1 and 2 July in front of a panel chaired by a Legally Qualified Chair (LQC) who directed that the officer would remain anonymous.

LQCs are selected from a list of independent, legally-qualified persons to conduct police misconduct hearings, and are governed by Police Conduct Regulations. LQCs work with the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners and others to instil and embed as much transparency and proportionality into misconduct hearings.

The officer referred to as PC X and the female subject of the allegations, referred to as Ms A, were granted anonymity by the chair following legal representations before the hearing.

It is the responsibility of the chair to determine whether or not a hearing is partially or wholly held in public or in private, and whether any participant should be anonymised.

The hearing was held in public subject to the anonymity of PC X and Ms A and restriction on publication of their identities.

The hearing was told that the officer contacted Ms A using social media and identified himself as a police officer.

Ms A was vulnerable and she informed him that her doctor had recommended to her that she get an advocate to assist her in her dealings with police and social services and the officer volunteered to assist her and be her advocate.

PC X was aware that Ms A was a vulnerable person but he went onto to pursue a sexual relationship with her from March to June 2021. He completed a Sussex Police Personal Circumstances Form, where he declared Ms A to be a ‘notifiable associate’ and that he was her friend and was acting as her advocate.

When he was asked to clarify the nature of the advocacy by a supervisor from the force’s vetting unit, he stated he was was “acting as advocate and friend assisting a disabled person through their contact with social services.” However, he did not, at any time, declare he was in a sexual intimate relationship with Ms A.

The panel found proven that the officer had abused his position of trust and authority with the intention of developing a sexual relationship with Ms A, which was predatory and manipulative.

The Panel also found proven that the officer’s declarations as to the nature of their relationship were dishonest and disingenuous.

An allegation that the officer had smoked cannabis and enabled Ms A to do so was not proven.

Therefore PC X had breached the standards of professional behaviour regarding honesty and integrity, authority, respect and courtesy and discreditable conduct and this amounted to gross misconduct.

The officer was dismissed without notice and added to the College of Policing Barred list which will prevent a return to policing.

Detective Superintendent Andy Wolstenholme, deputy head of force Professional Standards Department, said:

“When police officers or staff abuse their position of trust for a sexual purpose, particularly in respect of vulnerable people, such behaviour represents a fundamental betrayal of the public and the values for which the police service stands.

"It lets down the vast majority of their colleagues who act with professionalism and integrity.”