MPS officer pursued relationship with vulnerable teenager
A former officer with the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) pursued a sexual relationship with a vulnerable teenage girl despite knowing his colleagues were investigating her disappearance.
A misconduct panel heard that Police Constable Andrew Brooks, who left the MPS in June 2019, met the 17-year-old in his local town centre in July 2018 and invited her back to his home where the pair engaged in sexual activity. It was only after this had occurred that the girl, referred to during the hearing as Ms X, revealed her age.
In the days that followed, 30-year-old PC Brooks exchanged messages with Ms X and learnt she was a vulnerable missing person.
Despite becoming aware of this, he continued to pursue a relationship with Ms X and attempted to put pressure on her to conceal his identity. PC Brooks was also aware that his colleagues were actively searching for Ms X during the time he was having a relationship with her.
The panel concluded that the actions of PC Brooks actions amounted to gross misconduct as he had breached police standards in respect of honesty and integrity. The panel added that he would have been dismissed for his behaviour if he was still a serving officer.
