Special constable jailed for child sex offences

Steven Tift, 45, has begun his prison sentence

A former police special constable has been jailed for child sex offences after an undercover operation.

Northamptonshire Police said Steven Tift thought he was engaging in a sexualised chat with a 14-year-old boy. It was actually a police officer.

At Northampton Crown Court, Tift, 45, was jailed for two years and six months, for attempting sexual communication with a child and attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity.

A jury found him guilty on 18 March, at the same court, after he was arrested at his home in Church Walk, Northampton, on 19 December 2021.

He was found not guilty of intentionally encouraging or assisting the commission of an offence.

Officers said the conversation took place over Grindr and Snapchat. Tift sent sexual photos of himself and asked for similar pictures.

Det Insp Matt Haworth said: "Tift’s position as a special constable placed him in a position of trust which he grossly abused when he sought to use the internet to abuse a child.

"Thankfully in this case, the child in question was actually a police officer and we were able to take swift action to arrest him."

He said the force worked "proactively to bring people like Tift to justice regardless of who they are or what roles they hold".

"We are determined to identify those who commit wrongdoing and who are not fit to serve the public and we will be relentless in our pursuit of them."

Tift was also given a five-year sexual harm prevention order and was placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register for life.