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A former Northumbria Police officer who sent sexualised messages, photos and videos to women he met through his job has been jailed for three months for misconduct in public office.

A managed Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) investigation, carried out by the force under our direction, found PC Marc Hopkins, who has since resigned, sent inappropriate messages, sometimes while on duty, without any policing purpose to do so.

Hopkins, who had been based in Newcastle, previously pleaded guilty to three charges of misconduct in public office and was recently (28 January 2022) sentenced to three months in prison at Newcastle Crown Court.

We received a referral in January 2020 from Northumbria Police, after officers had arrested him following a complaint from a woman, who said he had sent her inappropriate images.

Investigators also looked at his contact with several other women based on evidence that came to light during the investigation. This included speaking with the women and examining Hopkins’ mobile phone.

We referred the case to the Crown Prosecution Service upon completion of the investigation in September 2020 which authorised the charges of misconduct in public office in relation to his contact with three women. He pleaded guilty to the charges at a hearing in August 2021.

IOPC Regional Director Miranda Biddle recently said:

“When a police officer abuses their position for a sexual purpose, this is a form of corruption – and it has absolutely no place in policing.

“Marc Hopkins showed a pattern of escalating behaviour with women he met through his job but who he continued to contact when there was no longer any policing purpose to do so.

“We are incredibly grateful to the brave women who came forward to speak out against his unacceptable behaviour and helped uncover further offending which may otherwise have gone unreported. Nobody should ever be made to feel uncomfortable and unable to challenge a person’s behaviour just because of their job.”

Following the investigation, Hopkins, who resigned in January 2021, was found to have a case to answer for gross misconduct in respect of his contact with six women and the force will now arrange for disciplinary proceedings to take place.