Canterbury police officer jailed over relationship with suspect

PC Thomas Hill was based at Canterbury police station at the time of the offence

A Kent Police officer has been jailed for six months after admitting having an inappropriate relationship with a woman being investigated for a crime.

Thomas Hill, 35, who was based at Canterbury, pleaded guilty to a charge of misconduct in public office when he appeared at Southwark Crown Court in August.

The offence occurred between 9 and 23 December 2020, the court was told.

Mr Hill, who is 36 and from Deal, was sentenced on Wednesday.

His sentence was reduced from eight months after his early guilty plea.

He resigned from Kent Police before sentencing but will now be the subject of a disciplinary hearing.

An earlier court hearing was told Hill "wilfully" misconducted himself "to such a degree as to amount to an abuse of the public's trust".

He was charged after an investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).

Hill had a brief relationship with the woman in December 2020 during which they exchanged text messages and met on one occasion while Hill was off duty.

'Undermines trust'

Det Ch Supt Jon Armory, head of professional standards at Kent Police, said: "Such behaviour is unacceptable and undermines trust and confidence in the police service.

"Kent Police is committed to taking appropriate action against the small minority of officers whose conduct falls below the very high standards expected of them, including on the rare occasion when a criminal offence has been committed."

IOPC regional director Mel Palmer said: "PC Hill's behaviour was a form of serious corruption and has absolutely no place in policing.

"To make matters worse, PC Hill initiated the relationship while she was being treated in hospital and he had been sent to supervise her.

"At a time he was supposed to be protecting her, he instead chose to exploit her vulnerability."

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