Cumbria police constable sacked for having sex on duty
- Published
PC Matt Simpson had six-year's service and started working at Cumbria Police as a special constable
A police officer has been sacked for gross misconduct after having regular secret sexual trysts while on duty.
PC Matt Simpson, who was based in Barrow, Cumbria, admitted having late night liaisons during a "casual relationship" between 2014 and 2016.
The woman, known only as Miss X, told a police misconduct hearing "he didn't even take his pants off properly in case he had to rush off".
Mr Simpson, 29, claimed he only saw her after his shifts had finished.
Cumbria Police misconduct panel was told he had more than 20 illicit meet-ups when he should have been working.
The relationship came to light after Miss X's new partner told police had seen a message the officer had sent to her in mid-2018.
'Dereliction of duties'
Miss X told the hearing in Penrith the aspiring detective would arrive wearing a hi-viz jacket and equipped with a body camera, handcuffs, baton and Taser device.
"He would turn his radio on loud when we were having sex in case his collar number got called out," she said.
The panel concluded the officer's on-duty sex with Miss X constituted gross misconduct, as did searches he had made about her on a police computer system because he was "personally curious".
It was "a serious dereliction" of his duties, chairman Nicholas Walker said.
"He was paid to work and serve his community, not to do what he did with Miss X," he said.
The panel decided his good service record and positive testimonials did not outweigh their belief Miss X had told the truth.
She had not made a formal complaint and said she had no reason to lie or to want to get him into trouble.
The panel also concluded police material found on the constable's phone and at home, as well as work images sent to his regular partner, constituted misconduct.
Deputy Chief Constable Mark Webster said his actions "fell far below the standard we expect".
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