West Midlands PC sent sexual messages to victims

Palvinder Singh sent "hundreds" of messages to vulnerable victims, Birmingham Crown Court heard

A married police officer who sent sexual messages to vulnerable victims and contacted prostitutes while at work has been jailed for 14 months.

PC Palvinder Singh, 39, from the West Midlands force, sent "hundreds" of messages to four victims, including ones about bondage, a court heard.

Singh admitted five counts of improperly using police powers.

One of his victims said she did not expect Singh "to come into work and treat his job as a dating agency".

The force said he had "abused" his position.

Birmingham Crown Court heard Singh, of Burns Road, Wednesbury, sent naked pictures of himself to two women, including one of him beside his locker at Smethwick police station.

Singh also visited an escort in police uniform after inquiring about a "Smethwick massage", but there was no evidence that he had engaged in sexual activity with any prostitutes, the court was told.

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He was dismissed from West Midlands Police a week before his court appearance. He had previously been commended for bravery.

Sentencing Singh, Judge Roderick Henderson said: "You have a fine record as a police officer over 14 years and you have thrown it away.

"The effect of behaviour like yours is to make people, women in particular, reluctant to call on police during a crisis in their lives.

"It is obvious to everyone that the police should not behave like this."

'Dating agency'

In a victim impact statement read by prosecutor Jennifer Josephs, one of the women said she felt "embarrassed" about what happened.

"I expected him not to come into work and treat his job as a dating agency," she said.

Ms Josephs told the court another victim said the way Singh treated her made her feel "undervalued", "very low" and "miserable".

Singh was jailed for 14 months at Birmingham Crown Court

Giovanni D'Alessandro, from the Crown Prosecution Service, said Singh targeted female victims of suspected crime, who he was "assigned to assist, for his own sexual gratification".

Ch Insp Yvonne Bruton, from the force's professional standards team, said: "There is no room in the police force for corrupt behaviour and particularly where this takes advantage of those who are vulnerable and look to the police for help and protection.

"This is an abuse of trust in the worst form, and there is no place for officers like this in West Midlands Police."