A West Mercia Police constable who cannot be named because of an anonymity order appeared before a misconduct hearing panel on Tuesday, 12 May, to answer allegations of breaching several professional standards.
The panel heard that after making an arrest on 7 December 2021, the officer disclosed details of the arrestee to a person she knew personally, including the arrestee’s name, that they were remaining in custody overnight, and that they would appear in court the following morning. The information was shared with someone the officer knew, and she is alleged to have directed offensive remarks about the arrestee’s partner to that individual.
In mitigation, the officer’s Police Federation representative argued that the recipient—referred to as “person A”—also knew the arrestee, had witnessed the arrest, and that there had been no other data breaches in her two-decade career, describing the allegations as a “massive over exaggeration.”
Chief Constable Richard Cooper said the exchange was instigated by the officer and noted there was evidence she was responding to questions. He stated that he could not accept that she was merely relaying information she already knew, describing the disclosure as an abuse of power. He characterised the conduct as gross misconduct, though at the lower end of that spectrum.
The panel also heard that between 2022 and 2023 the officer ran an OnlyFans account with her estranged husband. The account contained more than 700 sexual photographs and videos but did not include her name, face, or any identifying features connecting it to the police. Messages sent to her estranged husband included phrases such as “a good day’s work done” and “Why did we not do this when we were together.”
Her representative accepted the allegation of gross misconduct. In mitigation, they said she had recently lost about £12,000 in a poor investment and was concerned about her finances. It was argued that the OnlyFans venture was proposed by her estranged husband, who was also a serving officer at the time, and that she viewed it as a mutually beneficial arrangement—earning money while spending time with him.
Chief Constable Cooper noted there was evidence that her husband was the driving force behind the project, and that she did not directly interact with the account, but he emphasised the sustained planning involved. He concluded, “Taking that level of seriousness into account, there is only one conclusion I can reach: your immediate dismissal.” He added, “I am sincerely sorry and I thank you for your service.”
The officer’s dismissal means she will also be placed on the College of Policing’s barred list. Prior to the hearing an anonymity order prevented the identity or any identifying details of the officer from being made public. The Hereford Times’ sister paper Worcester News formally requested identification, but the chief constable refused the request, and the reasons for the refusal were not disclosed.
