British Transport Police PC dismissed over lies about relationship with criminal

British Transport Police PC Natalie Toft omitted vital information during vetting in 2021, a misconduct panel heard

A British Transport Police (BTP) officer who lied about her relationship with a criminal has been dismissed from the force.

A misconduct panel heard PC Natalie Toft breached standards of professional behaviour by not disclosing the information during vetting in 2021.

PC Toft, who was based in Leeds, admitted she had been in a relationship with the man since 2020.

The panel found the officer's actions had amounted to gross misconduct.

During the public misconduct hearing held in York on 15 June and 16 June, the panel heard that on 25 May 2021 PC Toft had filled in an internal vetting update form but omitted vital information.

She failed to disclose she had recommenced a personal relationship with a man, known as Mr A, who had a known criminal history, the panel was told.

Additionally, on 6 July 2021, PC Toft failed to disclose the true nature of her relationship with the man when she completed a separate internal vetting form.

The panel, which heard PC Toft admitted she had been in a relationship with Mr A since 2020, dismissed her "without notice".

Following the hearing, Det Ch Insp Tracy Goddard-King, from BTP's professional standards department, said PC Toft "told blatant lies on two separate occasions about her relationship with a criminal".

"Put simply, dishonesty of any kind is completely incompatible with being a police officer," she said.

"There's no place in BTP for people who choose to conduct themselves in this way, so I support the decision of the panel to dismiss her with immediate effect."