Police officer harassed and scared former partner

Price pleaded guilty to harassment at magistrates court

A police officer repeatedly harassed his former partner, a report has said.

Student officer Thomas Price, 24, from West Midlands Police contacted the woman, also a police officer, between March and September 2022, until she brought criminal charges.

Price, who has resigned from the force, was convicted for criminal harassment at South Derbyshire Magistrates Court in March.

He resigned from the police force a few days before his arrest but Chief Constable Craig Guildford said he would have been dismissed if he had not done so.

West Midlands Chief Constable Craig Guildford said Price's behaviour had clearly scared his former partner

"His actions completely lacked any sense of respect and courtesy for his ex-partner whatsoever," Mr Guildford said.

"His criminal conviction brings discredit upon West Midlands Police and is highly impactive upon public confidence."

At court, Price was fined £300 and ordered to comply with a ten-day rehabilitation order and a restraining order forbidding him from contacting his former partner, who had been forced to change her routine on an ongoing basis due to his behaviour.

At a police hearing last Wednesday Price accepted his conduct amounted to gross misconduct. He had been with the force for two years.

The hearing heard the level of seriousness was elevated as he continued his actions after he had been warned to stop.

A report said Price had undermined a lot of hard work the service was doing to build back trust in relation to the harassment of women and girls.

His repetitive actions clearly scared her, he did not stop when advised, and he put her in a difficult situation, it said.