Police officer sacked for ‘inappropriate relationship’ with girl, 14

Disciplinary panel says officer exploited position of trust to pursue girl living in care home A Scotland Yard officer has been sacked over an “inappropriate relationship” with a vulnerable 14-year-old girl. PC Robert Nicholson was fired after a misconduct hearing was told he targeted the girl – who lived in a care home – via Facebook and text after she was arrested, said the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) disciplinary panel. Deborah Glass, the IPCC commissioner for London, said: “The girl told us that she trusted this man because he was a police officer. “We expect the police to protect us and our families, yet PC Nicholson’s actions were, from the outset, a disgraceful abuse of his position.” Nicholson first came into contact with the girl in October 2009 at Bethnal Green police station, where he was working as a custody officer when she was brought into the custody suite. The officer asked for her phone number and the next day sent 17 text messages. Phone and Facebook records showed the communications developed sexual elements, the disciplinary panel heard. The relationship came to light in December 2009 after the girl was reported missing from her care home. Nicholson, who was 27 at the time and based in east London, was arrested before the matter was referred to the IPCC. Evidence showed the pair exchanged hundreds of messages and regularly spoke by phone before Nicholson drove from his home in Colchester to meet her in Romford. Glass added: “Although he met the girl while she was in police custody, and there can be little doubt he knew her age and vulnerability, he exploited his position as a police officer to pursue her sexually. “I am glad he is now no longer in a position to do this to anyone else. “The IPCC’s investigator and the investigating officer from the Metropolitan police worked together to gain the trust of the girl and her family, and I would like to pay tribute to them for their courage.” The panel heard that a few days before the Romford meeting, Nicholson failed to act when he became aware of a planned trip by the girl and a friend to Southend to meet another significantly older man. During their relationship Nicholson used police databases to access records on the girl, which would have further highlighted her age and vulnerability, the watchdog said. Metropolitan police Police Children guardian.co.uk

Posted by on May 31, 2011. Filed under News, Politics, World News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.