Police officer jailed for sending sexualised texts to vulnerable woman
Police officer, 35, who sent sexualised texts to vulnerable woman he met while supervising in hospital is jailed
- PC Thomas Hill, from Deal, Kent, pleaded guilty to misconduct in public office
A police officer who sent sexualised texts to a vulnerable woman who he met while on duty has been jailed.
PC Thomas Hill, from Deal Kent, abused his power to have the inappropriate sexual relationship with the woman after the pair met while was supervising in a hospital, the police watchdog said.
The 35-year-old, who previously pleaded guilty to misconduct in public office, was sentenced to eight months in prison at London’s Southwark Crown Court on Wednesday, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said.
The Canterbury-based officer had met the woman after she was arrested for an offence in December 2020 and was asked to supervise her while she was being treated at the Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Hospital in Margate.
He began a sexualised conversation with the woman while she was in hospital and later contacted her via social media and they exchanged more sexualised text messages, according to the IOPC.
PC Thomas Hill has been jailed for eight months after sending sexualised messages to a vulnerable woman. Pictured: Hill arriving at Southwark Crown Court in London on August 17, 2023
The IOPC said Hill had been asked to supervise the woman while she was being treated at the Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Hospital in Margate after she was arrested. Pictured: The entrance to the hospital
Hill went to her house where he acted in an unprofessional manner towards the woman and later confessed the relationship to his supervisors after the woman threatened to disclose it to his employer.
Kent Police made a mandatory conduct referral in May 2021 to the IOPC, which launched an investigation into the matter. It led to the charge of misconduct in public office being brought.
After sentencing, IOPC regional director Mel Palmer said: ‘Abuse of power for a sexual purpose is a breach of the public’s trust, which seriously undermines confidence in the police service and discredits the profession.
‘PC Hill’s behaviour was a form of serious corruption and has absolutely no place in policing.
‘To make matters worse, PC Hill initiated the relationship while she was being treated in hospital and he had been sent to supervise her.
‘At a time he was supposed to be protecting her, he instead chose to exploit her vulnerability.’
The IOPC said Hill is to face a disciplinary hearing accused of gross misconduct.
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