The former PC met up with the vulnerable woman for sex while on duty, exchanged hundreds of explicit photos and videos with her on his work phone and twice breached Covid restrictions by visiting her home during lockdown.
Former PC Mark Hidden, 42, met up with the woman for sex while on duty, exchanged hundreds of explicit photos and videos with her on his work mobile and twice breached Covid restrictions by visiting her home during lockdown.
Ms A told investigators that on this occasion Hidden had told her she needed to “change her dating habits” and go on a date with him instead. He gave her his work mobile number. Mr Waters said: “Of course by this stage the sexual relationship had already started and he should have been having nothing to do with this incident, and nothing to do with policing relating to her, but of course he has kept the relationship secret.”
The relationship continued and he visited her home on April 9 and 17, while the UK was in full Covid lockdown. Colleagues reported the allegations and, arriving at Ludlow Police Station after the incident, Hidden admitted to the relationship to his supervisor.More than 5,500 messages had been exchanged between Ms A and Hidden’s police mobile phone, including hundreds of explicit photos and videos.When interviewed by the IOPC, Hidden read a prepared statement in which he apologised to Ms A and said he accepted the relationship was “completely inappropriate”.
Mr Waters said there were a “considerable number of aggravating factors”, including the length of time the relationship went on for, Ms A’s vulnerability, the significant breach of the force mobile phone policy, and current public concerns over the behaviour of male police officers towards women.
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