Cleveland Police TV star faces misconduct hearing over relationship
- Published
PC Paul Faulkner starred in Channel 5's Police Interceptors
A PC who shot to fame in a TV show is facing a misconduct case for allegedly having a sexual relationship with a "vulnerable" colleague.
Paul Faulkner was the woman's Police Federation representative at time of the alleged relationship, which had put him in a "position of responsibility".
The Cleveland Police officer, who was nicknamed Mustard, is at a gross misconduct hearing until Thursday.
He starred in Channel 5's Police Interceptors between 2015 and 2018.
It is claimed that PC Faulkner met the woman, known as Officer A, in September 2019 before becoming her representative two months later.
At the time she was the subject of an investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), which was having a "significant adverse effect" on her mental health and wellbeing, Cleveland Police said., external
'Nothing going on'
It is claimed he contacted her on social media and gave her his personal phone number, as opposed to his Police Federation details, after seeing her being served with gross misconduct papers that same day.
The force said PC Faulkner continued to contact her while she was on sick leave before embarking on a sexual relationship with her.
It alleged he also told her to lie about the relationship if she was ever asked about it, and of telling his supervisor that there was "nothing going on".
He is facing claims he breached professional standards relating to "authority, respect and courtesy" as well as "honesty and integrity" at the hearing in Stockton.
Police Interceptors, which featured Durham and Cleveland Police during its series, followed high-speed driving teams as they caught criminals.
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