Former detective would have been dismissed for ‘inappropriate relationships’ with women

A disciplinary hearing held this week found gross misconduct proven against ex-Detective Constable Simon Jones, 54.

The panel ruled that the former officer had abused his position and would have been dismissed without notice, had he not already retired.

It was also alleged that he misled his supervisor and professional standards department over the nature of one of the relationships.

The former detective constable was already on the police barred list following a separate misconduct hearing held in April this year in relation to discriminatory messages he sent about two black colleagues.

The investigation into the conduct of Det Con Jones, who retired from the force in January, was carried out by the counter corruption unit (CCU) of Avon and Somerset Constabulary, under the direction of the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).

The gross misconduct hearing was told that the then detective constable formed the relationships with the two women in 2017 and 2019 while being the officer responsible for investigating two separate criminal cases.

Analysis of his work and personal phones revealed a number of flirtatious messages he had exchanged with both women. Other evidence showed his digital devices were located on many occasions at the address of one of the women overnight as well as at hotels she had stayed at.

The IOPC said he also advised one of the women to buy a ‘burner type’ phone to help conceal the relationship.

“During an ethical interview with the force in 2020 about one relationship, Det Con Jones described it as platonic. Despite being told to end it, the evidence indicates he carried on an intimate relationship,” the IOPC said.

The former officer was arrested in 2021 over the allegations.

Avon and Somerset Constabulary said that in early 2017, former Det Con Jones had been asked to investigate an assault on a teenage child. Due to the victim’s age, the boy’s mother was the point of contact for the officer in the case to update as the investigation progressed.

The panel was told the content of the messages between the pair developed from being professional to personal, leading to him engaging in an “inappropriate relationship with her while the criminal investigation continued”.

The pair continued to message each other after the inquiries concluded, with there being no policing purpose for doing so. They went on to have a relationship for several years.

In late 2019, former ex-Det Con Jones was assigned to investigate an allegation of crime involving a female victim.

It was alleged the contact between the pair crossed from being professional to personal within a couple of months of the investigation beginning.

“We were notified of an anonymous report in August 2020 that former Det Con Jones was engaging in a relationship with a ‘victim of crime’,” the force said.

“His work mobile phone billing was reviewed and a very large amount of contact with the woman was found, which continued after the criminal investigation had concluded, when again there was not a policing purpose to him to continue to contact her.

“Former DC Jones denied there was anything more than shared interests between them, when challenged about it during an ethical interview in September 2020.

“He was advised not to have any further contact with the woman and to notify a more senior officer if she attempted to contact him.”

The following month, former Det Con Jones sent an email to the force’s Professional Standards Department in which he said he had “adhered to the advice given”, which he knew not to be true, said Avon and Somerset Constabulary.

“In November 2020, we received information about the previous relationship former Det Con Jones had been involved in with the mother he first met in 2017,” it added.

A mandatory referral to the IOPC was subsequently made due to the nature of the allegations.

“We were instructed to carry out criminal and misconduct investigations under the direction of the IOPC,” the force said.

“During those inquiries, former Det Con Jones’ electronic devices were searched, where the nature of his relationships with both women was revealed.

“A file was referred to the Crown Prosecution Service under the IOPC’s direction, which deemed there was insufficient evidence to seek any criminal charges. However, misconduct proceedings against the former officer continued, culminating in this week’s hearing.”

The panel ruled the former detective connstable had abused his position as a police officer by establishing and/or pursuing an improper sexual and/or emotional relationship with two members of the public with whom he came into contact within the course of his duties.

In addition, it found he had misled the CCU about the existence or nature of the relationship with the second woman.

The panel concluded former Det Con Jones breached three standards of professional behaviour, namely honesty and integrity; authority, respect and courtesy; as well as discreditable conduct.

There was no suggestion raised that the criminal investigations carried out by former Det Con Jones were affected by his relationship with either woman, said Avon and Somerset Constabulary.

The force added: “Former Det Con  Jones was already on the barred list following a separate misconduct hearing held in April 2024 in relation to discriminatory messages he sent about two colleagues of black heritage in 2020. These messages had come to light during the CCU investigation into his inappropriate relationships with the two women.”

Superintendent Mark Edgington, head of the Professional Standards Department, said: “There is no place in policing, or any law enforcement agency, for anyone who behaves in the way Simon Jones did.

“One of the women he sought a relationship with was a mother whose child had been assaulted and the other was reporting being a victim of crime.

“Regardless of whether either woman at the time saw themselves as vulnerable, both of them had turned to the police for help. Any police officer should recognise it would be wholly wrong to seek any personal relationship with a member of the public in such circumstances, especially while conducting a criminal investigation relating directly to that person or their family.

“Former Det Con Jones was an officer with more than 20 years’ experience and it is abundantly clear he knew what he was doing was wrong.

“He was deliberately dishonest when challenged and sought to cover his tracks by several means, when he feared the truth would be revealed.

“We are grateful to those people who supplied information because it enabled us to not only take misconduct action against him for these matters, but also revealed abhorrent messages he sent about colleagues.

“We hope this outcome reassures the public we will take positive action to remove any officer who behaves in such an inappropriate manner.”

IOPC Director of Operations, Steve Noonan, said: “Det Con Jones’ actions in sending a volume of messages and pursuing relationships with women he met through his policing duties were wholly inappropriate. He continued the relationships over a period of years.

“Through his training, policing roles and the clear guidance on maintaining professional boundaries police officers receive, he must have known his behaviour was wrong.

“The public expect police officers to protect them; that is their role. When this role is compromised by officers or staff who abuse their position for a sexual purpose then this behaviour amounts to serious corruption.”