A police officer has been fired after ‘sexting’ a vulnerable woman who was the subject of a missing persons report after he joined the search for her.
PC Robert Whitehead, of Greater Manchester Police (GMP) based in Ashton-under-Lyne, met the woman after she was reported missing from home and he was part of the force's effort to find her. Soon afterwards he began exchanging messages with her while he was both on and off duty. He switched from his police-issue phone to his personal device where he sent her numerous WhatsApp messages "of a sexual nature" signed with an "x" a hearing was told on Tuesday.
He also received inappropriate messages back from her, which he did not discourage or report, the hearing learned. He later asked her to delete the messages, saying otherwise she would "get in bother". The force referred Whitehead to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) for abusing his position for sexual purposes. Following the hearing earlier this week he was dismissed without notice.
IOPC regional director Catherine Bates said: "When officers abuse their position for a sexual purpose this is a form of serious corruption, which has absolutely no place in policing. PC Whitehead was well aware of the woman's vulnerability yet rather than helping her, he tried to exploit the situation for his own sexual gratification. His attempts to cover up this appalling behaviour show he was well aware his communication with the woman had gone far beyond acceptable, professional contact. Thanks to the prompt referral from GMP and the swift response of IOPC investigators we were able to stop this contact before it escalated any further."
The IOPC investigation began in November 2022 and PC Whitehead was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office and improper use of police powers. During an interview messages on the woman's phone were read to him. The investigation concluded in May and PC Whitehead was found to have breached the police standards of professional behaviour with respect to honesty and integrity; authority, respect and courtesy; and discreditable conduct.
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An Accelerated Misconduct Hearing held at Greater Manchester Police HQ on 19 September heard PC Whitehead exchanged the messages after creating a care plan for the woman, who had previously been reported missing.GMP said in a statement: "The messaging then switched to his personal phone, with PC Whitehead subsequently asking Miss A to delete all the messages and photos exchanged between them. Miss A threatened to inform GMP about the messages and reported the exchanges, at which point PC Whitehead was suspended." Solicitor Julian King told the hearing his client accepted his actions were "misjudged" but that "he had not been pursuing a sexual or romantic relationship" with Miss A.
Chief Constable Stephen Watson, who chaired the hearing, said PC Whitehead was aware that Miss A was vulnerable but still "engaged in flirtatious messaging". He was dismissed without notice and added to the College of Policing's Barred List, banning him from working in policing in future. He will not face further criminal charges. The Chief Constable added: "While much of the messaging could amount to an officer checking on a vulnerable female's safety and wellbeing, there were messages that were grossly inappropriate and of a sexual nature. Mr Whitehead knew his actions were inappropriate having chosen to swap his police issue mobile to his personal number. He should have known that it was entirely inappropriate and an abuse of power and falls far below the behaviours and standards that the public expects."
Detective Chief Superintendent Michael Allen, of GMP's Professional Standards Branch, said: "Every day and night, officers from GMP put on their uniforms to protect the vulnerable people in our communities from harm. Whitehead failed in that very duty, seriously abusing his privileged position by communicating with a vulnerable female in a grossly improper way, thus exposing her to further harm. I thank the IOPC for its investigation having referred this case to them, producing quality evidence that GMP's Professional Standards Branch used to take Whitehead to an accelerated misconduct hearing. Having abused his position by departing from the highest standards of professional behaviour that all police officers must embody, it is right that he has been dismissed from the force and barred from ever working in policing again. He will no longer will be able to put on a uniform nor carry a warrant card, and GMP are a better police service without him. No-one in GMP will tolerate working alongside someone who behaves in such a corrupt way and this is why the Chief Constable has stripped Whitehead of his powers, privileges and his employment."
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