Devon and Cornwall PC who sent 'flirtatious' texts is sacked
- Published
A PC who sent "flirtatious" text messages to a vulnerable woman he met while on the job has been sacked.
Devon and Cornwall PC Christopher Caley started sending texts after attending a domestic incident in February 2019, a misconduct hearing heard.
The texts continued for two months "despite the woman indicating that she was not interested", the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said.
PC Caley was dismissed without notice following the hearing on 17 November.
'Abused trust'
"Over the next two months or so he sent her a number of flirtatious messages from his personal mobile phone," said investigators.
"He also drove by her place of work in a police vehicle on a number of occasions."
The Devon and Cornwall force referred an allegation of pursuing an inappropriate relationship to the IOPC in May 2019.
Catrin Evans of the IOPC said despite her lack of interest PC Caley "continued to behave in an inappropriate manner by sending her messages of a personal nature".
She said he "abused his position of trust as a police officer" and the panel dismissed him "without notice".
Deputy Chief Constable Jim Nye said the "conduct fell well below the standards expected from officers and staff".
He said the dismissal sent a "clear message that such behaviour will not be tolerated, and action will be taken".