Former PSNI officer jailed for raping woman

A man has been handed a five-year sentence for raping and sexually assaulting a woman while he was a serving police officer.

He will spend two-and-a-half-years in custody, with a similar period on supervised licence.

The 55-year-old man was found guilty earlier in the year of two counts of rape and two counts of sexual assault.

He has not been named for legal reasons. He was dismissed from the police in May.

A defence barrister said the outlook for his client was "bleak".

In a pre-sentence report, the Probation Service assessed the defendant as having a low likelihood of reoffending, adding that he did not pose a danger to the public in the future.

The report stated the defendant denied committing the offences and still maintained his innocence.

He will also be placed on the sex offenders register indefinitely.

Judge Paul Ramsey KC refused a prosecution application to make the man the subject to a Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO), saying in his view it was "neither necessary nor proportionate".

The defendant was told by the judge that he would be placed on the sex offenders register indefinitely as a result of his convictions.

Police said it was the first time someone in Northern Ireland had been convicted of rape "by stealth" following an allegation they removed a condom during sex.

"Although stealthing is not specified as a crime in Northern Ireland, the Sexual Offences Act states consent to one sexual act does not mean agreement to another," Det Supt Fisher told reporters outside the court after the man's sentencing.

She said the sentencing gave a clear message that the man's behaviour "is not only unacceptable, it's criminal".

"There is no defence for disregarding sexual consent. Without consent, it is rape," the detective added.

'Strong message'

Det Supt Fisher said the former officer's "disgraceful actions" fell far below the standard expected from Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) staff members and that, once his offending came to light, the man was arrested, suspended and subsequently dismissed following an investigation.

"Standards and culture within the police service continue to be a top priority and when wrongdoing is identified, we will take appropriate action," she added.

"Today we send another strong message that there is no place for this behaviour in policing, and we are dedicated to relentlessly pursuing perpetrators and bringing them to justice, no matter who they are."

In a statement read on her behalf, the victim thanked her family, friends, the charity Women's Aid and the PSNI for their "empathy and swiftness" in dealing with her case.

"I urge anyone else who has suffered similarly to take confidence from my journey and to reach out and tell someone about it, knowing you will be treated with the utmost respect and sensitivity," she added.