A SERVING member of staff at West Mercia Police has been sacked for gross misconduct a fortnight after he pleased guilty to four offences relating to child indecency on the internet.
The hearing was conducted at Hindlip, Worcestershire, chaired by ACC Geoff Wessell, and followed an investigation by South Worcestershire CID and the Professional Standards Department of Warwickshire Police and West Mercia Police.
The un-named male member of staff, who was not working in a public-facing role, had previously pleaded guilty to four offences relating to child indecency on the internet and at a Crown Court hearing on August 9 was handed a 12 month custodial sentence, suspended for two years and a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for five years.
He must also attend rehabilitation sessions and sign the sex offenders register for 10 years. He had first been arrested in July 2017 and had been suspended from duty since then.
Supt Helena Bennett, head of Professional Standards, said: “The panel found this member of staff’s actions amounted to gross misconduct and breached the standards of professional behaviour in the area of discreditable conduct.
“It is for this reason he was dismissed with immediate effect. Warwickshire Police and West Mercia Police are committed to protecting people from harm, in this instance harm was caused by a serving member of staff.
“We take these cases very seriously and the man involved has received the harshest sanction we can impose,” she added.
The outcome of the misconduct hearing is subject to the normal appeals process.
