Ex-West Mercia Police officer who ‘betrayed’ crime sufferer jailed

An ex-police officer has been jailed for eight months after “pestering” and messaging a sufferer of revenge porn and maintaining intimate video of her on his work cellphone.

Mark Cranfield, who was a PC on the West Mercia power, was convicted in December of two counts of misconduct in public workplace and a pc misuse offence.

The 52-year-old had despatched social media messages, together with one discussing his intercourse life, to the lady, who was mentioned throughout his two-week trial to be extremely susceptible.

At Birmingham Crown Courtroom, Decide Kerry Maylin described the offending by Cranfield, from Bromfield, Shropshire, who had additionally labored as a royal safety officer, as a “grave betrayal” of the lady’s belief within the police.

Cranfield in 2018 despatched a good friend request to the lady simply minutes after she left a police station, the place he had downloaded a video given to him as proof, the courtroom heard.

Jurors had been instructed Cranfield made his attraction to the lady apparent throughout her coping with the power when making a grievance regarding the fabric, smirking as he instructed her: “I am glad I received to see the images.”

Prosecutor Simon Rippon had instructed the trial two pictures of the lady had been discovered on Cranfield’s cellphone, with a video of her stripping and interesting in a sexual act.

Decide Maylin mentioned the lady had withdrawn her grievance about which she had sought police assist, reducing off contact with the power as a result of Cranfield made her really feel uncomfortable.

Sentencing Cranfield, the choose added: “[The woman] instructed this courtroom that you just appeared extra within the content material of the pictures and the video of an intimate nature than in supporting (her) and investigating the allegations that she made.

“You had been exploring whether or not you might have an intimate relationship together with her, be that in particular person or on-line.”

The courtroom heard he had forwarded intimate movies and pictures to a WhatsApp account which was but to be traced, which, the choose mentioned, had “a marked affect” on the sufferer.

She added that though Cranfield “now expressed regret” his sentence couldn’t be suspended.

Cranfield, who was based mostly at Ludlow police station, instructed his trial that he had no sexual curiosity within the girl and believed he had deleted the photographs and video.

He denied he had been “titillated” by the video, and mentioned he had initially contacted the lady through a social media messaging app to debate “on a regular basis” points.

He added he had solely despatched additional messages in a panic as a result of his spouse wrongly believed he was having an affair.

Defence barrister Liz Energy mentioned Cranfield was a hardworking household man who had been stacking cabinets at Tesco “so as to add a little bit bit extra to the household revenue”.

The previous officer was cleared of a 3rd misconduct cost regarding the social media good friend request.

The choose mentioned Cranfield’s profession had been “exemplary” till his misconduct started.