Former officer barred after gross misconduct

A police officer who tried to develop a relationship with a vulnerable woman he met during an investigation has been barred from policing.

The police constable, known only as PC Z, knew there had been domestic incidents involving the woman and her partner and understood she was vulnerable, an Avon and Somerset Police misconduct panel heard.

Despite having no policing reason to do so, the Yeovil-based officer contacted the woman 69 times in four months and asked her to delete the messages.

The panel ruled the officer had committed gross misconduct and would have been fired had he not resigned.

Det Supt Larisa Hunt, head of the professional standards department for the force, said PC Z had "abused his position of power".

"His behaviour towards a vulnerable member of our society is unacceptable," she added.

The officer, who joined the force in 2022, first met the woman - known only as Miss A - during an investigation he was involved in, although she was neither a victim or a suspect, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Between when they first met in November 2022 and February 2023, PC Z contacted the woman 69 times on nine different dates, including by text message, phone call and by visiting her home.

There was no obvious record of contact on police records, the panel heard.

Representing the force, barrister Mark Ley-Morgan said PC Z had known Miss A was vulnerable before he pursued an emotional relationship with her, after she told him there had been domestic incidents between her and her partner.

"He told Miss A that he should not be messaging her as he had met her through his police duties and asked her to delete the messages," he said.

The panel was told how PC Z deleted the messages from his work mobile phone after he was told of the investigation into his conduct by the force's professional standards department.

"He failed to act with self-control, failed to treat her with respect or courtesy and abused his position as a police officer," added Mr Ley-Morgan.

Mr Ley Morgan also said PC Z, who did not attend the hearing on 19 February, "knew what he was doing was wrong".

The officer's Police Federation representative Andrew Coggins said PC Z apologised for any distress caused to the woman and embarrassment to the force.

Avon and Somerset Police said the ex-constable was granted anonymity by the panel chair because of a concern regarding the risk of harm to witnesses if the officer's identity was made public.

Det Supt Hunt said the force was "grateful" to the witness and they will ensure PC Z "will never serve in policing again".

"We hope today's outcome encourages other people to have trust in policing and the confidence to report inappropriate behaviour to us in the future," she added.

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