Cheshire PC pretended to be ex-wife on swingers website

Alan Friday was a serving police officer at the time of the offences

A police officer who posed as his ex-wife online and posted photos of her on a swingers website has been sentenced for harassing her.

Cheshire officer Alan Friday, 42, tried to stop his ex-wife from calling the police when he was caught out, Wigan Magistrates' Court heard.

His two-year community-based sentence includes 100 hours of unpaid community work and 20 rehabilitation days.

Friday, of Liverpool, was also given a two-year restraining order.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said Friday pretended to be a woman by posting a picture of his former wife on the Fab Swingers website, while he was a serving police officer.

He then emailed her to try to stop her from telling the police.

The court heard she told him never to contact her again and he bombarded her and her family with phone calls and repeatedly visited a family address where he knew she would be.

He was convicted of harassing his ex-wife following a trial on 7 January.

'Trusted position'

Friday's two-year restraining order states that he must not contact her, go near her home or download or publish any images of her.

His mobile phone and laptop which were used to commit the offence have also been seized.

District Crown Prosecutor Chris Maloney, from CPS Mersey Cheshire, said Friday had a "responsible and trusted" position as a PC and he had abused his ex-wife's trust and used her image in "circumstances when he knew or should have known that she would have objected to".

Cheshire Police said it would be "inappropriate" to comment further due to "ongoing misconduct proceedings".

Friday remains suspended from duty, a spokeswoman added.

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