Paedophile ex-PC barred from serving again

David Crossley worked as a police officer in Leeds for more than 20 years

A former Police Officer jailed for sexually abusing two children has been barred from ever working in the profession again.

David Crossley, from Leeds, was sentenced to 10 years in prison in July 2023 after being found guilty of eight separate offences against his victims, both of whom were under the age of 13.

A West Yorkshire Police misconduct panel ruled on Thursday that Crossley would have been sacked for gross misconduct had he not already left the force.

Testimony read out at the hearing on behalf of one of his victims likened the criminal trial, which went ahead because Crossley denied the offences, to "torture".

The proceedings, held at police HQ on Laburnum Road in Wakefield, heard how Crossley was suspended from duty in 2020 when one his victims, who was attacked over a two-year period in the 1990s, first reported the abuse.

The officer, who had been employed with the force since 1997, later retired while awaiting prosecution.

It was said that the other victim, who was abused by Crossley between 2011 and 2014, came forward after being made aware of the other allegations against him.

All of the offences took place while Crossley, who was aged 60 when he was jailed last year, was either off duty or before he was employed with the police.

Statements from the victims read out at the hearing described how Crossley had made them feel “ashamed", "embarrassed" and "scared”, with one of them describing being abused as a “life sentence”.

A statement read out on Crossley’s behalf said he continued to deny the offences and he would not engage with the misconduct hearing so as not to “prejudice” any future legal proceedings.

However, it was noted that despite his claims, Crossley had not submitted any appeal against his convictions.

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