Former Cleveland Police officer jailed for sexual activity with teenager
A former Cleveland Police officer has been jailed today at Durham Crown Court for sexual activity with a 14-year-old girl.
Last updated 5th Dec 2025
A former Cleveland police officer's been jailed after admitting sexual activity with a 14 year old girl.
Nathan Henderson, 30, was given a fourteen year extended sentence, after previously pleading guilty to eleven counts of sexual activity with a child and one count of perverting the course of justice. He also pleaded guilty today to nine further counts relating to indecent images of children and other extreme pornographic images.
Henderson, who was dismissed from Cleveland Police in August of this year, initially contacted his victim over the social media app ‘Whisper,’ before sending her frequent messages of an increasingly sexualised nature. Henderson then met with her in person, before driving her to his home where he could engage in sexual activity with her. Over the following months, Henderson continued to sexually abuse the girl while grooming her to send him indecent images of herself, which he retained.
Following a report to police about Henderson’s actions, an investigation was launched. When officers attended his home to arrest him, Henderson fled into a room before attempting to destroy evidence on his phone by snapping it in two and hiding it in a boot. This phone was subsequently discovered by police, but the contents of it could no longer be accessed. Other devices recovered from his home were found to contain high volumes of images and videos showing the sexual abuse of young children.
Deputy Chief Constable David Felton, said: “Today, our thoughts are with the victim in this case, and I praise her for her bravery in coming forward and providing evidence throughout this investigation and court process. It goes without saying that this will have had a huge impact upon her and her family.
“Nathan Henderson has today been jailed for his shocking crimes. The force dismissed him within three weeks of the allegation and before his conviction, which demonstrates our determination to root out his heinous behaviour as a police constable.
“Any abuse of this kind is abhorrent, but it is unthinkable when it is carried out by a police officer. Police officers are in a position of trust and should be the protectors of our communities.
“I hope that today’s sentence provides some comfort to the victim and her family, and provides some reassurance to our communities that action will be taken against anyone who carries out these types of offences, no matter who they are.”
Charlotte Dennison of the Crown Prosecution Service said: “Nathan Henderson is a sexual predator who exploited the vulnerabilities of his young victim to pursue a sexual relationship with her. He knew she was a child from the outset but continued to groom her into further sexual activity. The contents of devices seized from Henderson’s home clearly demonstrated that he had a broader sexual interest in images of young girls.
“For the criminal justice system to be effective, it is imperative that the public trust those working within it. We would hope that the swift action taken to investigate and prosecute Nathan Henderson for these serious offences goes some way to repairing the damage his actions will have caused to that trust.
“The Crown Prosecution Service will continue to work alongside our police partners to make sure those committing serious sexual offences are brought to justice for their actions. Our thoughts remain with the victim in this case and her family, at what remains a difficult time for them.”