WIREDGOV

A former West Mercia Police officer would have been dismissed if he was still serving after gross misconduct was found proven, following an investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).

Ex-police constable Jonathan Townsend, 41, faced allegations of gross misconduct after being accused of having inappropriate contact with three vulnerable women he met through his policing duties, two of whom were sexual assault victims.

Between November and December 2019, he was alleged to have formed an inappropriate relationship with a woman, with whom he engaged in text messaging and video calls of a sexual nature on his force issue mobile phone. In the same time frame, he allegedly asked for and received sexualised images on his work phone from another woman whom he then engaged in sexual activity with. On a date in January 2020, he exchanged unprofessional texts with another woman on his work phone.

The IOPC began an investigation in October 2020 following a referral about the officer’s conduct from West Mercia Police. Investigators interviewed the officer and two of the women involved and analysed the PC’s mobile phone. At the end of our investigation in April 2021 we submitted our report to West Mercia Police with our view that PC Townsend had a case to answer for gross misconduct. The officer resigned from the force in November last year.

At a police disciplinary hearing, led by an independent, legally qualified Chair, it was determined recently (Monday) that ex-PC Townsend, who had been part of the South Worcestershire Policing Area, had breached the Standards of Professional Behaviour in a number of areas including authority, respect and courtesy, and discreditable conduct. The panel decided he would have been dismissed had he still been serving. 

IOPC regional director Derrick Campbell recently said:

“Former PC Townsend took advantage of vulnerable women and the kind of behaviour he demonstrated has absolutely no place in policing. Abuse of position for sexual purpose is a form of serious corruption and damages public confidence in the police. This outcome imposed by the police disciplinary panel should provide a clear message to any officer who misconduct themselves in such a way, that they face serious consequences and will be held to account.”

Mr Townsend will now be barred from working for the police service again.