Former PC Mark Cranfield, who was stationed in Ludlow and had beforehand labored as a royal safety officer, despatched social media messages, together with one discussing his intercourse life, to the extremely weak lady, a two-week trial was informed
Jailing the married 52-year-old at Birmingham Crown Court docket on Thursday, Choose Kerry Maylin described the offences as a “grave betrayal” of the lady’s belief within the police.
Cranfield, despatched a buddy request to the lady minutes after she left a police station the place he had downloaded a video given to him as proof, had an “exemplary” profession till the misconduct started in 2018, the choose mentioned.
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Choose Maylin informed Cranfield, who appeared within the dock along with his head bowed for a lot of his sentencing listening to: “She informed this court docket that you simply 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 have been exploring whether or not you possibly can have an intimate relationship along with her, be that in particular person or on-line.”
She continued: “Punishment and deterrence are vital components in instances resembling this.
“You have got now expressed regret however I’m afraid, doing my public responsibility, I can’t accede to the submission to droop your sentence.”
(Picture: Newsquest)
Cranfield was convicted in December of two counts of misconduct in public workplace and an offence of accessing pc data, together with the lady’s telephone quantity, with out authorisation.
Jurors have been informed Cranfield made his attraction to the lady apparent when she made a criticism and supplied proof to police, smirking as he informed her: “I’m glad I received to see the photographs.”
The court docket heard he then had inappropriate contact with the sufferer, despatched her messages about his intercourse life, and forwarded intimate movies and pictures to a WhatsApp account that has but to be traced.
The previous officer was cleared of a 3rd misconduct offence regarding the social media buddy request.
Cranfield informed his trial that he had no sexual curiosity within the lady and believed he had deleted the photographs and video, which have been discovered on his work telephone greater than two years after the inquiry.
Cranfield, of Bromfield, close to Ludlow, denied he had been “titillated” by the video, mentioned he had contacted the lady through a social media messaging app to debate “on a regular basis” points and had solely despatched additional messages in a panic as a result of his spouse wrongly believed he was having an affair.
Prosecutor Simon Rippon informed the trial that the offences got here to mild in April 2021, when Cranfield’s work telephone was seized from his locker with out warning for causes totally unconnected to the case.
Mr Rippon mentioned two images of the complainant have been discovered on the telephone, with a video of the lady stripping and interesting in a sexual act.
Different photos of the lady sporting clothes had been deleted, the court docket heard.
