Homophobic text PC culpable of gross misconduct

Devon and Cornwall Police said a former PC previously based in West Cornwall had been found culpable of gross misconduct

A former PC has been found culpable of gross misconduct following her conviction for sending malicious communications while a serving officer, police said.

Jess Smith, 33, from Hayle, pleaded guilty to one count of malicious communications in June and was sentenced to an 18-month community order and a five-year restraining order at Exeter Crown Court in July.

She had sent homophobic text messages to a female colleague who was also her ex-partner, and was sentenced a community order.

Devon and Cornwall Police said at a misconduct hearing it found Smith's "inappropriate" behaviour amounted to misconduct.

'Discredit'

Smith was working as a PC in West Cornwall at the time of the offences, which occurred "both on and off duty", police said.

She resigned from the force following her conviction, police said.

At the accelerated misconduct hearing on 21 August, acting chief constable Jim Colwell said if she had still been a serving officer, she would have been "dismissed without notice".

The panel concluded the officers’ actions were of "such poor standard" they amounted to "discernible conduct'".

In a statement, Mr Colwell said: “Former PC Smith would have known she was committing a criminal offence in relation to the messaging she was targeting the victim with and this adds further discredit to the force.”

Assistant chief constable Glen Mayhew described Smith's behaviour as "completely inappropriate" and not "representative of how any police officer, or person, should behave".

'Not tolerated'

He said: “Behaviour of that manner is not welcome in policing or in our communities and it will not be tolerated.

"Day in, day out, officers strive to serve and protect their communities and I wish to reassure the public that behaviour of this nature will be dealt with robustly and swiftly."

Police also said Smith's details have been submitted to the College of Policing barred List.