Police officer sacked after on-duty sex with trainee

A Telford police officer has been dismissed after a misconduct panel found he engaged in sexual activity with a trainee special constable he was mentoring while both were on duty.

The panel heard that PC Kieran Gale and the volunteer officer took part in sexual activity in a police vehicle on several occasions in 2018, including during a shift when they had been called to help search for a missing person.

Other incidents with the trainee, known as Ms A, took place in a car park of a fast food restaurant and at a supermarket petrol station in Telford.

A three-day hearing was told the relationship developed within weeks of the pair meeting and included the exchange of sexually explicit messages and images.

The panel found there had been a power imbalance between the pair because of Gale's role as Ms A's mentor, and concluded he had abused a position of trust.

Although Gale denied his actions amounted to misconduct or gross misconduct, the panel found he had breached standards of professional behaviour and that his conduct amounted to gross misconduct.

In its ruling, the panel said public confidence in policing would be "significantly undermined" if people were aware of the officer's actions.

It said knowledge that police officers had engaged in sexual activity while on duty and in public places damaged the reputation of the service.

The case came to the attention of West Mercia Police's Professional Standards Department in June 2024, after another officer's mobile phone was seized during an unrelated investigation.

The panel found Ms A had given consistent evidence and showed no signs of animosity towards Gale. It described Gale's evidence as "verbose and unconvincing".

While the panel found the relationship itself was consensual and did not breach standards relating to authority, respect and courtesy, it concluded Gale had committed discreditable conduct.

The ruling said he had abused his authority by engaging in sexual activity with Ms A while both were on duty and by using a police vehicle.

The panel also found their involvement in sexual activity had affected their participation in the search for a missing person.

Members said a reasonable member of the public would be "outraged" by the conduct and that Gale had breached the trust placed in him as a mentor.

Gale apologised to the hearing and to Ms A, saying he had changed since 2018 when he was going through personal difficulties.

The panel took into account his previous service record and six character references, but concluded that dismissal was the only appropriate sanction.

Gale was dismissed without notice and will be placed on the police barred list.

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