Kent police officer jailed for inappropriate sexual relationship
The Canterbury-based officer met the woman who had been arrested for an offence.
A Kent police officer who abused his power to have an inappropriate sexual relationship with a woman he met while on duty has been jailed.
35 year-old Pc Thomas Hill, of Deal, who had previously pleaded guilty to a charge of misconduct in public office, was sentenced on Wednesday at London's Southwark Crown Court to eight months in prison.
Canterbury-based Hill met the woman who had been arrested for an offence.
In December 2020, he was asked to supervise her while she was being treated at the Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother Hospital in Margate.
He began a sexualised conversation with the woman while she was in hospital and later contacted her via social media and they exchanged more sexualised text messages, according to the IOPC watchdog.
Hill went to her house where he acted in an unprofessional manner towards the woman and later confessed the relationship to his supervisors after the woman threatened to disclose it to his employer.
Kent Police made a mandatory conduct referral in May 2021 to the IOPC, which launched an investigation into the matter.
It led to the charge of misconduct in public office being brought.
After sentencing, IOPC regional director Mel Palmer said: "Abuse of power for a sexual purpose is a breach of the public's trust, which seriously undermines confidence in the police service and discredits the profession.
"Pc Hill's behaviour was a form of serious corruption and has absolutely no place in policing.
"To make matters worse, Pc Hill initiated the relationship while she was being treated in hospital and he had been sent to supervise her. At a time he was supposed to be protecting her, he instead chose to exploit her vulnerability."
The IOPC said Hill is to face a disciplinary hearing accused of gross misconduct.