PC filmed sex act at work while in uniform

PC Barker did not attend the hearing this week, police said

A police officer who filmed himself performing a solo sex act while in uniform has been barred from the profession for life.

PC Simon Barker, who worked on a rural crime task force in the Selby area for North Yorkshire Police, was found to have recorded himself while in a room at a police station.

He then sent the video, in which he was clearly identifiable, to a woman on WhatsApp in February 2022.

The force said PC Barker did not attend a misconduct hearing at their headquarters on Tuesday, where Chief Constable Tim Forber found his behaviour amounted to gross misconduct and placed him on the police barred list.

'Breach of standards'

He said had the officer not resigned first, he would have been dismissed.

A notice of outcome sent to PC Barker after the hearing read: "This conduct is a breach of the standards of professional behaviour of discreditable conduct.

"By this action you have brought discredit on the police service.

"This conduct is also a breach of the standards of professional behaviour of authority, respect and courtesy."

It added: "Your behaviour could have impaired your own effectiveness as a police officer and damaged your own reputation and that of policing."

Mr Forber noted that there was a "clear risk" that the video could have been distributed more widely, undermining public confidence in the force.

Speaking on his behalf, PC Barker's Police Federation union representative said he apologised for his actions and had been "proud" to serve with the force.

Mr Forber added that the evidence had not been disputed by PC Barker and he had received a letter of resignation from him on 9 December.

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