Investigator jailed for sex with vulnerable woman

Former Sussex Police investigator David Gamlin has been sentenced to one year in prison

A former Sussex Police investigator who engaged in sexual activity with a vulnerable woman while on duty has been jailed.

The woman, whose children were in care, said David Gamlin made her feel like a "piece of meat".

The 59-year-old was dismissed from the force in 2023 and pleaded guilty to misconduct in public office.

At Southwark Crown Court on Thursday, he was sentenced to one year in prison.

The woman was alone and isolated when Gamlin arrived at her door after she reported being harassed by a member of the public, the court heard.

Gamlin told the woman that he would help to get her children back in return for sex, although in court he denied using his job as leverage.

The pair engaged in sexual activity at their first meeting.

Gamlin met the woman for sex on at least five occasions but made no police record of him attending her address.

In a victim impact statement, the woman said Gamlin used her vulnerability to play "mind games", making her feel "cheap and dirty".

Hugh French, defending, told the court that his client realised and accepted that he let down the woman, his wife and his family, and offered a "genuine apology" to all those individuals and to the public at large.

But Gamlin claimed he did not seek a sexual encounter with the woman when he was at her door and did not ask to work on her case.

Mr French said Gamlin's judgement was affected by difficulties in his marriage, the responsibility of caring for his elderly parents and the Covid lockdown.

He also claimed that he believed the sex was consensual and believed he was "having some sort of breakdown and wasn't functioning".

Det Supt Andy Wolstenholme, the force's deputy head of Professional Standards Department, said: "People come to us at their most vulnerable and they must be able to trust the police completely.

"David Gamlin betrayed that trust, abusing his position for personal and sexual gain. His actions were disgraceful, and he has rightly been held to account."