Staffordshire PC who sent pornographic videos on duty barred

Richard White also sent offensive WhatsApp messages to a colleague while on duty

A police officer sent two pornographic videos to another colleague while on duty, a misconduct hearing found.

Richard White, 50, worked for the Central Motorway Police Group at Staffordshire Police and retired in December 2022.

The hearing found he would have been dismissed without notice had he not already left the force.

Mr White also sent offensive WhatsApp messages to another officer and shared police material with the public.

The ex-officer retained police material without a policing purpose and while on duty, took a member of the public for a drive in an unmarked police car, the panel found.

It concluded he had breached police standards of authority, respect and courtesy, equality and diversity, orders and instructions, duties and responsibilities, confidentiality and discreditable conduct.

Assistant Chief Constable Jennie Mattinson said they expected the highest standards from their officers

Mr White has now been placed on the National College of Policing's barred list, stopping him from working in policing and other law enforcement bodies.

Assistant Chief Constable Jennie Mattinson said: "We expect the highest standards from our officers and the actions of White fell far short of that expectation and that he would have been dismissed if he had not retired.

"We recognise that the recent national headlines about conduct cases involving police officers and staff has a negative impact on our legitimacy and public confidence," she added.

"The public is dependent on policing, as a whole, fixing these issues with urgency, fully and for the long term. We are determined to do that."