West Midlands Police officer 'formed relationship with abuse victim'

PC David Owen messaged a woman on social media after she was reported missing

A police officer who formed a relationship with a vulnerable woman he met on duty has been sacked.

PC David Owen, who worked for West Midlands Police, exchanged messages and met up with a woman he met when she was reported missing in 2019.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said his actions were "an abuse of authority" and he was dismissed for gross misconduct.

West Midlands Police has been approached for comment.

The investigation by the IOPC found PC Owen, who had more than 18 years service, had been sent to the woman's address when she had been reported missing.

Within a few hours had contacted her on social media and given her his personal number.

In the following weeks, he visited her twice socially, the IOPC said - including at her home - and also used police systems to access logs from incidents involving the woman "when he had no policing purpose to do so".

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"It was an abuse of authority, exacerbated by the fact that the officer knew of the woman's vulnerabilities," IOPC regional director Derrick Campbell said.

"He had in fact previously attended an incident when she was a victim of domestic abuse."

At a disciplinary hearing the officer was dismissed without notice on Friday and banned from working for the police service in future.