Coventry policeman Stephen Shaw sacked over child grooming
- Published
Sgt Stephen Shaw was based in Coventry, West Midlands Police said
A police sergeant who admitted two child grooming charges has been dismissed by the force.
West Midlands Police sergeant Stephen Shaw sent an indecent photo and graphic messages to an undercover colleague who was posing online as a 12-year-old girl.
The 46-year-old was dismissed without notice for gross misconduct at a hearing chaired by his chief constable.
Shaw, who is currently on bail, will be sentenced on 11 November.
He pleaded guilty at Birmingham Magistrates' Court in August to attempting to cause or incite a female under 13 to engage in sexual activity and attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child.
The hearing was told the Luton-born officer, who is married, sent messages to the undercover operative telling her she could "pass for 15" and made numerous comments about sexual acts in online chats.
Shaw's lawyer told the court the officer had never met up with a child he had spoken to online and he had "half expected" the profile he had contacted to be an adult posing as a youngster.
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