Detective dismissed for sending obscene texts to sex assault victims

DC Jon Hooper's behaviour has "no place in policing" said Chief Constable Sarah Crew

An Avon and Somerset Police detective who sent inappropriate text messages to two sexual assault victims has been dismissed for gross misconduct.

Detective Constable Jon Hooper sent seven abusive and obscene messages with direct references to the suspects.

He also drafted emails with sexualised comments about two other vulnerable female victims "for thrills" in 2019.

Chairman of the public hearing Chief Constable Sarah Crew said the actions of DC Hooper were "abhorrent".

She ruled they were so serious, he should be dismissed without notice to maintain public confidence in policing.

During the hearing on Thursday DC Hooper's Police Federation representative Mark Loker argued that after 23 years of exemplary service he had become traumatised and his actions were "a cry for help".

Though the language in the texts was "distasteful and regrettable" he denied the unsent comments were sent for sexual gratification.

The chief constable rejected that claim, The Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Chief Constable Sarah Crew said she was ashamed of the messages sent by DC Hooper

She said a psychological report on the officer revealed no dissociative state and no PTSD diagnosis was ever made.

Delivering her verdict she said: "The officer has, over a protracted period of time and on numerous occasions, failed to do the right thing.

"He must have known what he was doing was wrong."

She continued: "This was calculated, intentional behaviour.

"The officer was getting some sort of sexual thrill thinking about members of the public."

"Being a police officer is a stressful job but the overwhelming majority don't behave like this."

"I am ashamed of the deplorable words he used in messages to vulnerable victims of crime and of the abhorrent, sexualised language used on police systems."

She said the public and fellow officers should be left in no doubt that such behaviour had no place in policing.

DC Hooper will be added to the National College of Policing's barred list that prohibits him from working within policing and certain law enforcement bodies.