Decision not to dismiss sex case officer 'correct'

Insp Alex Taylor, of Greater Manchester Police, was given a final written warning

The Police Misconduct Panel was right not to dismiss an officer in Greater Manchester who had sex with a colleague on police premises while on duty, a High Court judge has ruled.

Insp Alex Taylor was given a final written warning to sit on his record for four years, after it emerged that he began a relationship with a police community support officer (PCSO) in early 2020 by exchanging "flirty and then overtly sexual" messages on WhatsApp.

It was reported to the panel that on 20 April of that year he met the PCSO, who was off duty, and had sex with her on a sofa.

The officer, based in Cheadle, Greater Manchester, then ended the relationship.

The report to the panel said he had "failed to act with self-control or professionalism in pursuing an inappropriate relationship with a subordinate colleague".

He also "failed to live up to the leadership and managerial responsibilities expected" and created a "toxic working environment for junior colleagues that was only addressed when a junior colleague reported the issue", the report said.

The panel imposed a final written warning in November last year.

But Greater Manchester Police challenged the panel's decision, arguing at the High Court in London that Mr Taylor should have been dismissed.

'Psychiatric evidence'

However, Mr Justice Swift dismissed the claim, describing the panel's decision as "sufficiently reasoned" in a judgment earlier.

He said the panel considered psychiatric evidence that Mr Taylor's decision-making was impaired because of mental health issues.

He also said he did not believe the panel's decision to be irrational and that it had "carefully assessed the seriousness of the misconduct".

The judge continued: "I do not consider this is a matter where it is appropriate to go behind the assessment of an experienced misconduct panel.

"A reasonable member of the public would be aware of all the circumstances of the relationship between Inspector Taylor and the PCSO: that it was a consensual relationship; that it had not rested on any misuse of a position of authority; that Inspector Taylor's decision-making had been impaired by depression; that the relationship had been short-lived; and that it had not had any significant impact on policing.

"Taking all these matters into account the panel's conclusion was a permissible option."