Northumbria Police officer faces sack over sex with vulnerable woman

The Northumbria Police officer could be dismissed

A police officer who had a sexual relationship with a vulnerable victim of crime is facing the sack after being found guilty of gross misconduct.

The 53-year-old, referred to only as Officer J, had been accused of sexual assault and having sex while on duty.

The Northumbria Police officer claimed the sex was consensual and he had been unaware of the woman's vulnerability.

But the misconduct hearing in Newcastle was told the "only outcome can be dismissal without notice".

Olivia Checa-Dover, representing the police force, said Officer J's behaviour had caused "grave harm in relation to public confidence, which is at its thinnest in any event".

'Vulnerable woman'

The disciplinary panel had heard he was called to the home of the woman, known as Miss A, to investigate a report of criminal damage in May 2004.

Officer J was said to have then maintained the improper relationship with Miss A - a single mother who was taking medication for depression - until December 2005.

He insisted he only ever had sex with her while he was off duty and said he visited her approximately five times following the end of the investigation.

A panel found that on his final visit, he sexually assaulted her while she was asleep on a sofa.

Ms Checa-Dover previously said Miss A "woke to find the officer trying to have sex with her" and her daughter came in and "witnessed the aftermath".

'Wholly unconvincing witness'

Guy Ladenburg, for the defence, had asked his client whether Miss A told him about her background as a victim of domestic violence, which he claimed she had not.

Officer J said he had not had any training in identifying vulnerable people before the relationship began.

But the panel rejected that claim and ruled he had "sufficient knowledge of her situation to say he knew she was a vulnerable person".

In closing arguments, Ms Checa-Dover said the officer's version of events "offends common sense" and he was a "wholly unconvincing witness".

"The seriousness must be at the top end. The only outcome can be dismissal without notice," she said.

The panel concluded Officer J's behaviour amounted to gross misconduct by breaching professional standards of behaviour.

His fate will be determined on Friday.