PC sacked after having sex with vulnerable woman

Ross Knox's actions were found to have amounted to gross misconduct

A police officer who slept with a woman knowing she was vulnerable has been barred from policing.

Ross Knox, an Avon and Somerset police constable based in South Gloucestershire, met the woman online and had consensual sex with her while off-duty between April 2022 and January 2023.

A hearing on Friday found Mr Knox's actions amounted to gross misconduct and he was dismissed.

Assistant chief constable Joanne Hall said that he had "failed to safeguard" the woman, adding he had been "selfish and disgraceful".

In an impact statement, the victim, who has not been named, said: “How PC Knox used me for his own sexual needs with no care or thought for me as a human being has harmed me and it continues to harm me whenever I think about it.

"He has abused his position of trust by exploiting someone vulnerable for his own needs.”

The sexual activity took place outside and in a public place, except on one occasion when it was at the woman's home, the hearing heard.

'Reckless abuse of position'

Mr Knox also sent the woman images of himself in police uniform and sent social media messages to her which were derogatory.

Ms Hall said after the hearing: “In one of the messages he even said he’d need to be careful about his behaviour as it could lose him his job, which only adds to the level of culpability.

"He knew he was doing wrong and carried on regardless. This reckless abuse of his position is an absolute betrayal of the values and standards of behaviour expected of him.

“He hasn’t just let down the public he took an oath to serve and protect, he’s let down the vast majority of officers and staff who care deeply about the vital role they perform for our communities."

In reaching the decision to dismiss the officer, chief constable Sarah Crew added that his conduct was "intentional" and confidence in the force will likely face "significant damage".

“Misconduct involving sexual impropriety is invariably serious and, can significantly undermine public trust in the policing profession," she said.

"Seriousness is exacerbated where the subject of an officer’s behaviour is a vulnerable person."