A POLICE officer who worked in Swindon and began a sexual relationship with a vulnerable woman he met while on duty has been dismissed from the force.

PC Darren Thorn faced a two-day gross misconduct hearing chaired by an independent legally qualified chair which considered six charges relating to this inappropriate relationship between June 2016 and June 2018.

These charges included accessing police computer systems to obtain personal data about members of the public and passing on confidential policing information.

The hearing found that all six counts of gross misconduct were proven and the 44-year-old, who now lives in Devon, has now been dismissed from the force with immediate effect.

Darren Thorn was arrested in 2018 when the allegations first came to light and immediately suspended from the force. He pleaded guilty at Reading Crown Court last month to one charge of corruption, two charges of computer misuse and one charge of misconduct in a public office.

He will be sentenced in February.

Senior members of the force criticised the illegal and unethical actions of this former colleague.

Deputy Chief Constable Paul Mills said: "PC Thorn significantly abused his position as a police officer by making contact with a vulnerable woman he met on duty and then going on to pursue a sexual relationship with her.

"Once in that relationship, he further betrayed the trust invested in him by the public by illegally accessing police computer systems and obtaining personal information and data which he went on to pass to the woman.

"His actions were not only illegal, but were a consistent and sustained flagrant breach of the standards the police service and the public rightly expect of those who serve in the office of police constable.

"As soon as the force was aware of these serious allegations, PC Thorn was immediately arrested and suspended from duty. In addition, the matters were referred to the Independent Office of Police Conduct,

"There is no place in the police service for individuals such as former officer PC Thorn and his actions have harmed trust and confidence in policing, while undermining the work of the exceptionally committed members of our organisation who strive to provide an outstanding service to the communities they serve.

"Wiltshire Police remains committed to ensuring each and every officer and staff member discharges their duties to the highest standards and, as this case proves, we will act swiftly and robustly when these are not met.

"Furthermore, if any member of the community has concerns relating to the professionalism of those who serve within our organisation, we would encourage them to come forward at the earliest opportunity."

The Independent Office for Police Conduct supervised the investigation into the allegations against PC Thorn while Wiltshire Police carried out the investigation itself.

PCC Philip Wilkinson noted that this is the third misconduct hearing to be held at Wiltshire Police since he was elected into office which involved a police officer's inappropriate behaviour towards women.

He added: "Former Police Constable Darren Thorn abused his position of trust to form a completely inappropriate sexual relationship with a victim he met when attending her home in the course of his duties.

"It would be a huge injustice to the vast majority of officers and staff at Wiltshire Police who carry out their roles with integrity to suggest that this was representative of the wider force,  but it would be wholly misguided to suggest that these former officers are lone 'bad apples'.

"Cases like this chip away at public trust and I continue to work with the Chief Constable to eradicate any trace of corruption and misconduct within Wiltshire Police to ensure that we do not end up in a place where that public trust cannot be rebuilt.

"Those who abuse their position of trust must, and will be weeded out. Their time in policing is up."