Latest Offenders

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A sex offender who raped an underage girl has been jailed.

Conner Dilkes, aged 18, assaulted the girl in July 2023 and was arrested soon afterwards.

Dilkes was interviewed several times and gave inconsistent accounts.

In his first interview, he denied knowing the girl and insisted he had never met her.

However CCTV and forensic evidence proved otherwise and he went on to plead guilty to two counts of rape in relation to the attack, which happened in an overgrown area in Daybrook.

Dilkes, of Oxclose Lane, Arnold, also admitted theft, assault by beating and possession of an offensive weapon in a public place in relation to an unconnected incident in June last year.

Appearing at Nottingham Crown Court on Thursday he was jailed for four-and-a-half years.

He was also added to the sex offenders’ register for life and also made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order that will tightly restrict his activities once he is released.

An indefinite restraining order that prevents him contacting his rape victim was also imposed by the sentencing judge.

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A WEST Cumbrian man who completed a Probation Service course to rehabilitate sex offenders is back behind bars after he returned to using the internet to look for child abuse images. 

Benjamin Kennedy, 34, who downloaded 11 indecent child images, blamed his return to offending on poor mental health and drinking too much.

Carlisle Crown Court heard that the defendant, of Haig Road, Whitehaven, had earlier admitted the indecent child images offence as well as twice breaching his previously imposed sexual harm prevention order.

Prosecutor Tim Evans outlined the offending.

The background was that Kennedy was convicted in April 2021 for engaging in sexual activity with a child and causing a child to watch a sexual act. This led to him being given a community order and the sexual harm prevention order.

He was back before the court in November 2022 for downloading indecent child images.  He was given an eight-month jail term, suspended for two years. Mr Evans then outlined the most recent offences.

On August 17 last year, the defendant disclosed to his offender manager that he had a new Samsung phone, which was equipped with “E-safe” police monitoring software.

Police were later alerted that the software was subjected to a “forced stop.”

Two days after this, on November 4, the police asked Kennedy to come to the station with his phone so it could be checked. It became clear there had been a “deliberate deletion” of messages on the phone’s Snapchat application.

It had been set up to automatically delete messages after 24 hours – a clear breach of the defendant’s sexual harm prevention order.

This led to a deeper investigation of the phone, said Mr Evans.

This was when the downloading of the 11 illegal images was discovered. There was also evidence, said Mr Evans, that the defendant had been requesting sexual images from other users.

Kim Whittlestone, defending, said the Snapchat offence resulted from the application automatically deleting messages after 24 hours and Kennedy should have known this and acted accordingly.

“He failed to do so,” said the barrister.

Regarding the other offending, Miss Whittlestone said Kennedy was struggling with his mental health, feeling he was “unable to move forward” with his life. His father had been “targeted at work,” said the defendant.

This included an assault, causing stress within the family.

The barrister added: “This impacted on his mental health, and he began to drink… and this led to him committing further offences.” The defendant had been feeling lonely and isolated, said Miss Whittlestone.

The barrister accepted that Kennedy completed the Probation Service New Horizons Programme for sex offenders.

Miss Whittlestone added: “He knows the pain and suffering he has inflicted on his family and hopes that, when released from custody, he can re-engage with the Probation Service and put offending behind him.”

Judge Nicholas Barker said the defendant was now a “persistent sexual offender.” The purpose of the three-year community order he was previously given allowed him to work extensively with “highly trained professionals.”

The suspended sentence order imposed in January 2023 could not have been a clearer warning to the defendant of his need to reform. The judge said: “There are no interventions that the Probation Service can do.

“Essentially, they have been working with you between April 2021 and November 2024 to address your offending behaviour, but you have not done so. The court can’t come to any considered view that there is a prospect of rehabilitation.”

Judge Barker jailed the defendant for 15 months. Kennedy will be on the Sex Offender Register for seven years.

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A paedophile pensioner broke a strict court order by leaving the UK without telling police – just days after he was hit with a £10,000 fine for amassing a sick stash of child abuse material.

James Sneddon stockpiled obscene photos and videos for more than a decade at his home in Milnathort.

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A SEX offender has been jailed for breaching a court order just two months after it was made.

Phillip Davies of Hawarden Road, Caergwrle, appeared at Mold Crown Court for sentence on Thursday.

The 55-year-old had previously been found guilty of breaching a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO).

Richard Edwards, prosecuting, told the court Davies was made the subject of the 10-year SHPO in February 2024 after being convicted of attempting to cause a child to engage in a sexual act and attempted sexual communication with a child.

As part of the order, police installed a piece of monitoring software on his mobile phone.

The software in question tracks static and moving images, words and phrases on screen and the device's keyboard input - and sends a signal to a server every hour to verify that it is active.

But in April 2024, following a review of the defendant's phone, officers noticed Davies was receiving notifications from dating sites; when there was no evidence of him using such sites in his internet history.

When asked about this, the defendant claimed the monitoring software had stopped working, and that he'd "had to turn it back on manually."

Checks were made and Davies' lies were revealed - when it was confirmed he had actually stopped it from working himself.

Mr Edwards said the defendant's behaviour represented a 'persistent breach.'

Dafydd Roberts, defending, told the court: "It is a very strange case and a difficult one to mitigate for Mr Davies.

"He maintains his denial that he did anything deliberately and says the app still switches itself off."

Mr Roberts told the court despite the latest offences, his client had demonstrated 'near-exemplary' compliance with the community requirements of his suspended sentence order.

But he also conceded that by his latest conviction, Davies was in breach of that order.

"There is more work that can be done with this defendant," he added.

"And there is a suggestion that he could be dealt with in the community - I invite Your Honour to consider drawing back."

Judge Niclas Parry told Davies: "You were given a suspended sentence for serious sexual offences involving what you believed were young children.

"Within two months of being given that opportunity, you were deliberately breaching your SHPO."

The Judge handed down a sentence of 12 months concurrent on each of the breach offences - and activated 12 months of the breached suspended sentence to run consecutive.

That made a total of two years immediate custody.

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A PAEDOPHILE caught with indecent images was a foster carer and worked with children, it has emerged.

Steven Breslin-Green was a registered foster carer and was “involved in a number of settings with children and young people in Newport”, the city council confirmed.

The 40-year-old from Abertillery was warned earlier this month he could be facing a prison sentence after admitted having nearly 200 child abuse images on his laptop.

Newport council said he has not worked “in any capacity” for the authority since it became aware of the allegations against him last year.

A spokesperson stated: “While he has never been directly employed by the council, he has worked in a number of settings with children and young people in the city including local authority settings.

“Breslin-Green would have been under supervision at all times in these settings and would not have carried out personal care without another person present.

“He was approved as a local authority foster carer in the summer of 2023 following thorough background checks.

“This was terminated in the summer of 2024 when the council was made aware of these allegations.”

None of the offences he has been convicted of relate to any children he cared for, the authority said.

“The charges he faced related to downloading images of children and do no relate to any child that he cared for or any local children,” the spokesperson added.

“However, that does not lessen the seriousness of such crimes as the young people in such images, wherever they live, are innocent victims and this behaviour cannot be tolerated.

“We, of course, share and understand the concerns of parents.

“The council, his employers and the settings where he worked were prevented from making public statements or discussing the case while legal proceedings were ongoing.

“However, direct enquiries from individuals have been addressed and they have been signposted to appropriate support if required.”

Breslin-Green pleaded guilty to three offences of making indecent images of children.

The defendant had 40 category A images, the most serious kind, 64 category B images and 91 category C images.

His offences were committed between April 22 and May 21 last year, Cardiff Crown Court was told.

Breslin-Green will now have to register as a sex offender.

When the defendant admitted the offences at the start of February, his barrister Gareth Williams said: “The defendant is a man of previous good character with no previous convictions and I would ask for a pre-sentence report.”

Judge Hywel James told Breslin-Green: “I’m adjourning for reports today but all options remain open in terms of sentence and that can include custody.

“I note you've got no previous convictions and on that basis I'm in agreement that a pre-sentence report needs to be prepared.

“That's to assist in terms of the court knowing more about you and in how to deal with the matter.”

Sentence will take place on March 6 and the defendant was granted conditional bail.

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A 44-year-old man has been sentenced to 12 years in prison after being found guilty of raping a teenage girl in Newton-le-Willows 14 years ago.

Sayed Miah, of Commercial Road, London, was sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court today, Thursday 20 February, after a jury found him guilty of rape. 

Miah has also will be required to sign the Sex Offender Register for life.

In 2011, Miah was living in Newton-le-Willows when he raped a 15-year-old girl after she had been walking through an area known locally as “the dingle”. 

A thorough investigation was carried out at the time, but no one was ever brought to justice due to a lack of evidence.

In 2021, Miah was arrested in London for an unrelated offence and his DNA was taken. This resulted in a match for the rape in 2011 and Merseyside Police were able to arrest and charge him.

Detective Constable Alex Fowler said: “I hope this sentencing shows that time is no barrier when we investigate crimes and 14 years later, we have been able to prove Miah’s despicable actions on that day.

“This court result is only possible thanks to the bravery of the victim and also the sheer determination of Merseyside Police in getting her justice.

“Thankfully a jury found him guilty and he will now spend a considerable amount of time in prison.”

Detective Constable Fowler added: “Merseyside Police is completely committed to protecting children from sexual abuse and those who seek to do them harm.

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A man has been jailed for ten years for raping a man in a Norwich park.

Idrees Jaff, aged 39, of Berners Close, Norwich was sentenced today (Wednesday 19 February 2025)  at Norwich Crown Court.

It follows a trial at King's Lynn Crown Court in December 2024 where a jury found him guilty unanimously of two counts of rape of a male.

Jaff was sentenced to ten years in prison and a further four years on extended licence.  He was also placed on the Sex Offenders Register for life and will be deported.

During the trial the court heard how the victim had been walking near Chapelfield Gardens on the night of 10 June 2024, when he was spotted by Jaff. 

Jaff, who was unknown to the man,  then followed him into the park and raped him.

In a statement read in court the victim described the impact the attack has had on him and his family as 'unbearable'.

"At times I feel like I have lost my mind. This is not the life I want to lead and wasn't the life I was living before this happened.

"I have had terrible nightmares about this incident, mainly of seeing the suspect in court smirking. I will now never forget his face.

"The impact this has had on my family is unbearable. I don't know where I would be if I didn't have support around me. This is something no family should have to go through"

Speaking after the sentencing, Detective Constable Hayley Green, from Norfolk Constabulary's Safeguarding and Investigation unit said: "This was a very harrowing incident where a man was targeted in public by a stranger.

"Jaff is clearly a dangerous individual who showed predatory behaviour taking advantage of someone who was very vulnerable late at night.

"I would like to commend the victim for his incredible bravery and strength throughout the investigation and trial.

"Unsurprisingly he has been left struggling to come to terms with what happened, but I hope knowing that Jaff will be in prison for a considerable time will allow him to try and move forward from this devastating ordeal and start to rebuild his life".

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A teenager who committed serious sexual offences against three children in Kirklees has been jailed.

Eshea Sullivan, aged 18, was a child himself when he carried out the attacks on the three girls in Huddersfield and Holmfirth between June 2021 and June last year.

He was convicted of 10 sexual offences in relation to his victims after a trial at Leeds Crown Court last month. 

These included two counts of rape, two counts of sexual assault by penetration and one count of sexual assault against one victim; one count of rape, one count of sexual assault by penetration and one count of sexual assault against a second victim; and one count of sexual assault by penetration and a further count of sexual assault against a third victim.  

Appearing before Leeds Crown Court for sentencing on Tuesday (18/2), Sullivan, formerly of York Avenue, Huddersfield, was jailed for nine years. 

He must also remain on licence for a further five years upon his release. Sullivan was also handed an indefinite restraining order not to contact his victims and must register as a sex offender for life.  

He will also never be allowed to volunteer with or work with children.

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A child sex offender who committed non-recent offences against a number of victims in Staffordshire has been jailed for 14 years.

Martin Wynne, 50, of Newcastle-under-Lyme, was convicted of his crimes following a four-week trial which concluded last November at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court.

The offences happened in the 1990s and early 2000s.

Wynne was reported to us in 2020. Since then, we’ve been working hard to gather all of the evidence needed to charge him for his crimes and to support the survivors.

Wynne was charged with 18 offences, including 15 counts of indecent assault on a boy, two counts of inciting a boy to commit an act of gross indecency and one count of gross indecency with a boy.

A jury found him guilty of all 18 offences.

On Tuesday (18 February), Wynne was sentenced at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court to 14 years imprisonment.

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A rapist who blackmailed his victim out of almost £2,000 so he would not disclose intimate pictures of her has been given a sentence totalling 16 years.

Umar Farooq, from Nelson, who committed the offences against the victim in June and took the intimate photos without her consent during a meeting last year, has also been banned from a North Yorkshire town until further notice.

Farooq, 21, said he was going to "ruin" the woman's life and bombarded her with messages and phone calls, threatening to publish the pictures.

His barrister when the sentencing hearing was opened at Preston Crown Court earlier this month, Wayne Jackson, also said Farooq threatened to send the pictures to the woman's family, neighbours, and work colleagues, and stick them on the windows at her family home.

Farooq was due to be sentenced on February 7 when the case was opened and mitigated, but Judge Ian Unsworth said he required more information regarding a possible restraining order to be imposed and adjourned the hearing until Tuesday, February 18.

The case did not proceed on that date due to time constraints with other cases in the court, but was finally heard on Wednesday, February 19, where Judge Unsworth handed down the 16-year sentence, made up of a 12-year custodial term and a four-year extended licence period.

Judge Unsworth said: "These offences were committed against a vulnerable young woman.

"You threatened to publish nude photographs of her. This was cruel in the extreme.

"You told her you were going to send them around to her family. Understandably she was terrified of this.

"You said you would stick them to the windows of her family home.

"This behaviour went on for several months but you didn't end there. You made demands of money.

"You said if she paid up you wouldn't publish the photos. Your financial demands escalated. She didn't have the funds to pay you off.

"You continued to menace her, threaten her, and apply pressure to her, by taking a photo of yourself outside her address and sending it to her in a chilling way.

"It was designed to cause her extreme fear and that is what you did.

"There was an occasion where you met up with her and you demanded she perform oral sex on you.

"This occasion was at a time when you were already threatening and blackmailing her. She was in no position to freely give consent."

Farooq, of Smith Street, pleaded guilty to counts of blackmail, putting a person in fear of violence by harassment, sharing a photo of a person in an intimate state, and threatening to do so.

He was found guilty by a jury at Preston Crown Court of the count of rape.

Judge Unsworth said Farooq "steadfastly refused to accept the rape" and noted a lack of remorse.

He said: "The actions you deployed were deliberate and intended."

Michael Goldwater, in mitigation for Farooq at the previous hearing, conceded the victim had suffered "significant psychological difficulties" as a result of the offending.

He said Farooq plans to leave the country once he has served his sentence.

As well as the 16-year sentence, a restraining order was also imposed preventing Farooq from contacting the victim in any way and from entering the town of Settle, North Yorkshire, indefinitely.

A sexual harm prevention order was imposed to run for 20 years, and he will be subject to sex offender notification requirements for life.

Det Con Sarah Whittaker, of Burnley Police, said: “Umar Farooq’s crimes are utterly despicable. He took advantage of a vulnerable teenager by raping her and then compounded his appalling actions by going on to make threats and blackmail her.

“I would like to commend the victim for her bravery in coming forward to report what happened to her – that must have taken a huge amount of courage, and I am pleased that her bravery has been rewarded with the guilty verdicts and sentence given today. I hope this gives her some sense that justice has been done.

“I also hope that the sentence delivered today may give others who have suffered similar abuse the courage to come forward and report what has happened, confident in the knowledge that we will investigate sensitively and professionally.”

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A rapist who abused two women more than 40 years ago has been described as a "monster" and "cowardly creature".

Raymond Harrison, 73, was working as a farmer in Keswick, Cumbria, when he became to know his two victims, who he groomed with sweets and cigarettes.

He was handed a 20-year prison sentence in 2021 but his conviction was overturned by the Court of Appeal.

He was convicted of 13 sexual assault charges, including raping a girl, at a retrial at Carlisle Crown Court and was jailed for 14 years and 61 days.

Jurors heard how in around the turn of the 1980s, Harrison touched the girls sexually when he was alone with them.

The prosecution described how he first raped one girl in a garage after pinning her to a stone wall and continued the abuse for many months. He continued to rape her multiple times during the course of many months.

He told her it was their secret and she should not tell anyone.

The court also heard Harrison indecently assaulted a second girl by kissing and putting his tongue in her mouth and by touching her intimately under her clothing.

Neither girl felt they could initially complain but eventually made statements to the police in 2017.

'Manipulative, narcissistic man'

Statements from the two victims were read by prosecutor Kim Whittlestone.

The rape victim said Harrison "robbed" her of her childhood and self-esteem.

"He is a dangerous man and a manipulative, narcissistic, controlling, delusional and cowardly creature," she said.

"The deep-rooted anger, frustration and despair is incalculable. He has destroyed my life and any sense of normality."

The woman Harrison indecently assaulted, said she would have once listened to a "heartfelt apology" and for him to help for himself.

"I now never wish to hear your name again and hope you spend the rest of your days in total misery," she said.

Conviction following retrial

After the 2021 conviction was overturned the following year, Harrison was the subject of a retrial at Carlisle Crown Court in 2023.

He was found guilty of three indecent assault charges and acquitted of 13 other allegations.

The jury could not reach a verdict on 10 additional charges, which then became the subject of the trial held this month.

He denied four charges of rape of a girl, two charges of indecency with the same child - who the 2023 jury concluded he indecently assaulted - and four indecent assault charges relating to the second girl.

The jury unanimously found him guilty of all charges.

'Deeply corrosive effect'

Judge Nicholas Barker told Harrison: "The courts now understand the deeply corrosive effect that sexual abuse has on the development of children and how that stain is left long into their adult lives and will never be washed away.

"By contract, Raymond Harrison, you have yourself been able to live a life of undeserved respectability.

"You should for the last 40 years or so not have been known as a good, honest farmer, but the sex offender you really are."

Harrison must serve two-thirds of the jail term before being eligible for release and must sign the sex offenders register for life.

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A CONVICTED sex offender failed to comply with a court order because he didn’t want to miss a shift as a pizza delivery driver.

Dominic Middleton, 28, was previously jailed at Carlisle Crown Court in 2016 after he admitted one charge of sexual activity with a child.

Colchester Magistrates’ Court heard on Tuesday that Middleton, who has since moved to Essex, was subjected to notification requirements for life as part of that sentence.

It means he is required to inform police within three days if he changes any personal details such as his name or address, or opens a new bank account.

Entering the dock with a large Puma holdall, Middleton admitted one charge of failing to comply with notification requirements for sex offenders.

Lucy Osborn, mitigating, said Middleton, of Windmill Court, Colchester, was unable to get to the police station in time to register new personal details because he had to catch an early bus to get to work.

She said: “He accepted he was a day late and explained he was working as a motorcycle delivery driver for Domino's, working very long shifts from 11am to 11pm.

“He would take the S1 bus, a university route – but because it was the summer holidays, he could not get a bus until 9.20am which would get him to work in time for 11am.

“He asked his boss if he could start later but was refused this – his employer stated if he was late attending, it would be referred to HR and he would be dropped from a number of shifts.

“He felt he had no option but to go to work.”

Ms Osborn said: “He felt he was in an impossible position between not wanting to damage his employment prospects and not being entirely forthcoming about the reasons why he wanted time off work.”

District Judge Christopher Williams said breaches of a sexual harm prevention order or notification requirement are serious because “it means someone is at risk of sexual harm”.

Judge Williams imposed a six-week prison sentence, suspended for one year, and ordered Middleton to pay £299 in costs.

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A "disgusting" postman who abused his position to grope multiple women, with one of his victims killing themselves, has been jailed for six and a half years.

Michael Stewart, 63, targeted several women when he was making deliveries in Northumberland, Newcastle Crown Court heard.

Two of his five victims have since died, with Judge Robert Spragg saying one of them had taken their own life as a "direct result" of Stewart's actions and Royal Mail's failure to respond to complaints about him.

One of his victims told the BBC Royal Mail took no appropriate action against Stewart. The firm has since apologised and said it had made changes.

Stewart, of Windsor Terrace in Amble, was found guilty of 12 offences including sexual assault, exposure and harassment.

In a statement read to the court, the family of one of his victims said: "We blame Stewart's offending against [the woman] for her mental state and eventual suicide."

'Severe psychological harm'

The woman's mother said their lives had been "destroyed" by her death, which she said was also contributed to by Royal Mail's failure to take action against Stewart.

Judge Robert Spragg said while there were numerous factors involved in a suicide, he was "satisfied" the woman's death was a "direct result" of what Stewart did.

"Had you not behaved in this manner towards her, it is clear she would not have suffered the severe psychological harm she did leading to the loss of her life," the judge told Stewart.

The judge also said Royal Mail's inadequate response contributed to her distress.

Another victim said she felt guilt, anger and sadness that "two of his victims took their own lives".

She said Stewart went from a "nice guy who delivered the post" and "who had kind a word and cheeky smile" to someone she "had to hide from because I was scared".

The woman said she was "disgusted" by Stewart, a grandfather who had worked for Royal Mail for 22 years, and he had "tainted lives".

The court heard the woman complained to the Royal Mail that he sexually assaulted her but, after initially being moved, he was soon put back on her round.

'Hid in plain sight'

The other woman, who has since died, said she had "trusted" Stewart as a "Royal Mail person" and he "took advantage of his position".

She said he ogled her chest like a "kid in a sweetshop" before putting his foot inside her front door to prevent it being closed and grabbing her breast.

Judge Spragg said it was an "appalling catalogue of abuse" against lone women for Stewart's own "sexual gratification".

He said Stewart was popular and "hid in plain sight behind a facade of respectability" and his victims were often afraid to report him due to his status.

When they did, they were "not listened to properly", Judge Spragg added.

'He was not bothered'

One of his victims, whose identity cannot be revealed, told the BBC Stewart was initially "really nice and friendly" and "always had a joke".

But one day, when handing her a package, he walked into her home and grabbed her breast, she said.

She said she told him to "get off" but he was "not even bothered by what he'd done", adding: "He said that I wanted it. I didn't.

"I didn't encourage it.

"That's the bit that upsets me."

The woman said she complained to Royal Mail but they failed to inform police and just "swept it under a rock".

She is now seeking compensation from Royal Mail.

'Abused position of trust'

Det Con Anthony Gourley said Stewart was a "calculating predator" who "abused his position and subjected his victims to horrific ordeals".

Praising the victims for their courage in coming forward, he said it was tragic two of them had not lived to see justice served.

A Royal Mail spokesperson said: "These crimes were abhorrent and had significant, and in cases tragic, consequences for the victims.

"Stewart abused his position of trust.

"We would like to publicly apologise to the victims, their families and to others who were targeted."

The firm said protection of other people was of the "utmost priority" and it had followed the recommendations of an independent review.

"We implemented changes across the organisation," the spokesperson said, "including a multi-year campaign on sexual harassment and culture in the workplace, new internal reporting tools and clearer codes of conduct and expected behaviours."

A restraining order banning Stewart from contacting his three surviving victims was also made to last indefinitely.

Full inquests are yet to take place.

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A man from Chippenham has been sentenced to four years in prison for raping a teenager.

Ethan Baily, 20, of Hill Rise, was sentenced at Swindon Crown Court on Friday February 14 after being found guilty by trial in October 2024.

Baily will also be on the Sex Offenders Register for life and was issued a lifetime restraining order from the victim.

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A former police officer has been jailed for sending "inappropriate" and "sexualised" messages to a vulnerable woman whose case he was investigating.

Stuart Trentham, 41, was a South Yorkshire Police officer based in Doncaster when a woman reported that sexual images of her had been posted on the internet without her consent.

Sheffield Crown Court heard that Trentham was in charge of the investigation and lied to the victim, telling her that a suspect was being interviewed when in fact the case had been closed.

The prosecution said the defendant's behaviour became increasingly inappropriate, and started to deteriorate when he began to sign his messages to the victim with a kiss.

Prosecutor Joseph Bell said Trentham then told the woman he "liked a bit of meat" and that there is "nothing worse than a flat, boney butt".

Mr Bell said the woman blocked the defendant but decided to unblock him as she thought he might still have legitimate information about the investigation she wrongly believed was ongoing.

The court heard Trentham later sent the woman a picture of him in police uniform with the message "working hard" accompanied by winking and kissing emojis.

Mr Bell said said the woman had trusted Trentham when he investigated the sexual images but said in her victim personal statement: "I have now come to the painful realisation that I was simply a target for exploitation by him."

Jailing him for nine months, Judge Jeremy Richardson KC said Trentham committed a crime that has "undermined" public trust in the police.

Judge Richardson said the defendant began sending WhatsApp messages which started off as "personal", progressed to being "inappropriate" and then to being "sexualised".

Judge Richardson said he was concerned that this kind of offending could result in vulnerable women not coming forward to report crimes.

He told Trentham: "I take no pleasure in sending a former police officer to prison for nine months.

"You have brought this on yourself. It is a terrible day for you.

"I hope this sentence restores some confidence the public repose in the police."

David James, defending, said his client wanted to apologise to the woman and to his former colleagues in the police.

Trentham had pleaded guilty to one count of wilful misconduct at an earlier hearing.

In response to the sentencing, Trentham's former force released a statement saying criminality and poor standards are not tolerated.

Ch Cons Lauren Poultney said: "Members of the public have the right to a police workforce which reflects the true values of policing at all times, and that is especially crucial when they are reporting a crime to us.

“The victim showed great courage coming forward and reporting Trentham’s criminal behaviour. I know this can be particularly difficult to do when the offender is a police officer.

“Ensuring that our officers uphold the force’s standards and culture is an utmost priority for me, and when misconduct and criminality is identified the perpetrators will be dealt with robustly.”