Witness sent Essex Police officer explicit images, court hears

PC Georgie Bean, who was based at Basildon police station, allegedly had "sexual" contact with the witness

A police officer told his boss he had "messed up" after being sent explicit images from a witness in a case he was investigating, a court has heard.

Essex Police PC Georgie Bean, 32, had an "intimate" relationship with the woman after he gave her his personal number in November 2020, it is alleged.

His boss Sgt Harry Shelton told Chelmsford Crown Court the revelation left him "shocked" and "surprised".

Mr Bean, of Fitzstephen Road, Dagenham, denies misconduct in public office.

The trial was told that he was based at Basildon police station when the offence allegedly took place between November and December 2020.

The woman had given Mr Bean a statement after she witnessed a racially aggravated assault in September 2020, but made an effort to retract it after contact broke down between them.

Mr Bean has been on trial at Chelmsford Crown Court, accused of misconduct in public office

Mr Shelton told jurors she had been a "key witness" in the case and Mr Bean had come clean to him after a team meeting.

"My initial response was words to the effect of 'you're an idiot' - there may have been an expletive but I was shocked, surprised," Mr Shelton said, who remembered Mr Bean admitting he had "messed up".

"Without sounding silly, we don't have relationships with witnesses in live cases - it is drilled into us at training school."

Mr Shelton said Mr Bean had disclosed that the witness had also sent him explicit images of herself.

Mr Bean was subsequently suspended from Essex Police in January 2021 and has remained suspended since.

'Made a mistake'

After their brief relationship broke down, the witness said she did not want to hear from Mr Bean again, the court heard.

In a text sent to her, read to the jury, Mr Bean pleaded: "You are a good person. I know you wouldn't want that [man] who attacked that girl to get away with it, surely?"

Craig Rush, defending, said the pair had engaged in "snogging and kissing - what might be referred to as heavy petting".

He argued that Mr Bean "realised he made a mistake" and made attempts to put it right by coming clean to his superiors.

Mr Rush claimed the situation was "put right" because following intervention from Mr Shelton, the witness did not retract her statement.

The trial continues.