Former officer who ‘abused his position’ jailed after pleading guilty to corruption

Oliver Dines was sentenced on Wednesday (February 12) after he pleaded guilty to police corruption.

West Mercia Police said he had met both women through the course of his duties.

He pleaded guilty to the charges under section 26 of the Criminal Justice and Courts Act, which makes it illegal for police officers to improperly use their powers and privileges.

The 33-year-old, who was previously based at Hereford police station, was dismissed from the force in March 2022 after an accelerated misconduct hearing found the then student officer had seriously breached the standards of professional behaviour for honesty and integrity for a separate matter.

The corruption allegations were referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), which carried out an investigation which led to charges. Two other charges are to lay on file.

Deputy Chief Constable Rachel Jones said: “There is no place in policing for individuals like this. Oliver Dines was in a trusted position and abused his position for his own gratification. We will continue to proactively root out individuals who do not meet the high standards expected of those in a position of trust.”

The IOPC said received a referral about the officer’s conduct from West Mercia Police in December 2020. The offending, which involved the improper use of a police officer’s powers and privileges, was committed against two women on separate occasions, in Herefordshire, while Dines was on duty.

The evidence showed how he first met woman A, during the course of his duties when she was arrested for an alleged offence in October 2020.

“As she was waiting to be interviewed by him, he asked her if she was single,” said the IOPC. “After leaving custody, PC Dines took the woman home and before getting out of the police car, he commented on the clothing that she was wearing.

“When he was outside her property, he inappropriately touched her. A short time later, woman A then received a Facebook friend request from PC Dines, which she said she felt obliged to accept, because he was a police officer. He then started messaging her, while he was still on duty. Over a period of approximately eight hours, PC Dines sent her more than 50 messages.”

Woman B reported being assaulted in September 2020 and PC Dines dealt with the case. He continued contacting woman B from his work mobile phone and later, from his personal mobile.

“His messages quickly became sexualised and explicit and at one point, he asked her to send pictures of herself to him, which she refused to do,” the IOPC said. “She asked PC Dines to stop messaging her, yet he continued to do so. PC Dines also made unnecessary visits to woman B at her home. On one occasion, he inappropriately touched her.”

IOPC Director Derrick Campbell: “Part of a police officer’s role is to protect members of the public who are in vulnerable situations, not to make them feel uncomfortable and unsafe. This was a clear case of abuse of power by the officer, for his own gratification.

“PC Dines’ behaviour has the potential to seriously undermine public confidence in policing and he has now, rightly, been held accountable for his actions.”

During its inquiries, IOPC investigators interviewed the police officer, examined his mobile phone and obtained statements from several witnesses, including the two women he targeted.

“He admitted during interview that he failed to act with integrity and that he had pursued an improper emotional relationship with both women,” the IOPC said.

“We completed our investigation in December 2021. We then submitted our evidence to the Crown Prosecution Service, which authorised the charges. We also sent our investigation report to West Mercia Police along with the recommendation that PC Dines should face gross misconduct proceedings.”