Matthew Longmate: Derbyshire police officer jailed after sentence reviewed

Matthew Longmate was originally given a 12-month sentence, suspended for a year

A police officer handed a suspended sentenced for sexual contact with a drunk woman in his patrol car has been jailed for 11 months.

Matthew Longmate, 48, was given a 12-month sentence, suspended for a year, for misconduct in a public office at a sentencing hearing in January.

Robert Courts KC, Solicitor General, referred the case to the Court of Appeal for being unduly lenient.

The original sentence was quashed on Friday.

'Sickening' abuse

A trial heard Longmate - who has been dismissed by Derbyshire Police - had been on duty on 4 October 2015 when he and a colleague offered to take a woman home from an incident in Chesterfield.

He and PC Daniel Nash parked their car, and the woman had sex with Nash and performed a sex act on Longmate.

The woman raised concerns about PC Nash, who died of cancer last year and had admitted 13 charges of misconduct in a public office relating to sexual conduct with a number of women.

He recorded a video interview before he died, naming Longmate as the officer involved in the incident, the court had heard.

During Longmate's sentencing at Southwark Crown Court, Judge Christopher Hehir said his actions amounted to a "very grave betrayal of trust" and had left the woman "humiliated", but said he did not want to send him to jail "to bring this sad and sorry tale to its end with a final act of mercy".

Following the Court of Appeal's decision to jail Longmate, Mr Courts said the former officer's "abuse of his position for sexual gain was sickening".

"[His] extended sentence sends a clear message that there are serious consequences for those who carry out misconduct in a public office," he said.