By Former PSCO jailed after ‘predatory’ relationships with vulnerable women
A former Humberside PCSO has been jailed for two years and 10 months after he admitted three counts of misconduct in a public office and attempting to pervert the course of justice.
Simon Smith, 49, appeared at Hull Crown Court on Friday, 6 May to be given the sentence after pleading guilty to the offences last month.
An internal investigation by Humberside Police commenced following information that Smith had been abusing his role as a PCSO to contact and start relationships with vulnerable women.
This resulted in Smith abusing his role to start inappropriate sexual relations with women, all of whom he met through being a PCSO, and sometimes even occurred while he was on duty.
In a gross perversion of justice, Smith also attempted to cover up his horrific actions by asking one of the women he was in contact with to not talk to the police.
A criminal investigation was also launched and a referral to the Independent Office of Police Conduct (IOPC) was made by the force.
The IOPC managed the investigation and decided that the case should be referred to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) for a charging decision.
The internal investigation was paused while the criminal investigation took place. Smith resigned from the force last year.
The internal investigation will now continue to a misconduct hearing, to enable a potential outcome of Smith being placed on the College of Policing’s barred list, which means he will never again be able to work for any police force in the country.
Head of Professional Standards, Detective Superintendent Matt Baldwin, said: “As a PCSO, Smith was in a role where the local community trusted him, and he completely abused his position for his own advantage and sexual gain.
“I want to thank the victims in this case for their bravery and courage in supporting the investigation, as without their assistance the result today would not have been possible.
“Smith’s actions were utterly reprehensible and we will absolutely not tolerate, accept or condone this kind of behaviour, that ultimately can undermine the public’s confidence in us as Humberside Police and in policing.
“I hope that Smith uses the time behind bars to consider the consequences of his actions and the impact that his behaviour has had on his victims and the wider community.
“I would encourage anyone who believes they may have been a victim to this type of offence by a member of a police force, to please report them and be assured they will always be treated sensitively and taken seriously.
“We hold all of our officers and staff to the highest standards of behaviour, with their integrity vital and professionalism crucial in maintaining the trust and confidence of the communities we serve.
“Smith’s devious and repulsive behaviour gravely failed to uphold and maintain the standards both we, and more importantly, the public expect.
“We will always thoroughly investigate any misconduct within the force and I want to make very clear that there are no exceptions.
“We are continually striving to better ourselves and provide excellent policing to our communities, and anyone who fails in their responsibility to serve and protect the public and meet our high expectations, will unreservedly always be held accountable for their actions.”
