Amersham police officer jailed for child sex offence

Luke Christopher Horner was a police officer at Thames Valley Police in Amersham

A police officer has been jailed for more than six years for a child sex offence.

Luke Horner was sentenced to more than six years in prison at Northampton Crown Court.

The Thames Valley Police officer was off-duty in Rushden, Northamptonshire on 11 June when he carried out the sexual assault against a girl.

Deputy Chief Constable Ben Snuggs said his behaviour had "appalled" the force.

Luke Christopher Horner, who lived in Aylesbury at the time of the incident, also received a Sexual Harm Prevention Order until further notice.

At a hearing earlier in the trial in August, he pleaded guilty to the offence.

Horner was based at Amersham Police Station in Buckinghamshire and was suspended from duty on 13 June 2023 when he was arrested.

The 24-year-old resigned from the police force on 26 July.

A misconduct hearing on 4 September found his behaviour amounted to gross misconduct, and he would have been dismissed if he was still serving in the force, said Thames Valley Police.

Deputy Chief Constable Ben Snuggs said: "Our thoughts remain with the young girl and her family who have been affected.

"No member of our workforce is above the law and I hope the swift action taken by our force and by the courts goes some way to helping restore the public's trust and confidence in policing."