Former Humberside PC banned after arrest on suspicion of grooming teenage girl

A former police officer has been banned from the service for life after being arrested on suspicion of grooming a 15-year-old girl who later moved in with him.

PC Craig Jackson first started messaging the girl online in June 2019 when he was 27 and a serving officer with Humberside Police.

He continued to have regular online and phone contact with her until 2021 before her family found out about the relationship.

Jackson was stopped by police at the Scottish border while trying to drive the girl, who had turned 17, from her family home in Scotland to his home in Yorkshire.

A police misconduct hearing heard the girl eloped with him after turning 18. It is believed she has had no contact with her family for over a year.

The hearing in Goole heard Jackson was found to have breached "standards of professional behaviour" following "discreditable conduct at the level of gross misconduct".

Jackson met the girl "more than once" in circumstances where he "knew or ought to have known that she was vulnerable".

The panel heard that he knew the girl was a child "at all material times".

Members concluded Jackson would have been sacked had he not resigned. He will be placed on the College of Policing Barred List.Humberside Police's head of professional standards, Supt Andy Maultby, said: “Jackson’s conduct and actions were disgraceful and had he not already resigned from the force, he would have been immediately dismissed.“Jackson completely abused his position of trust and this is just not acceptable – he had a duty to protect young people in our society."

"His discreditable conduct and behaviour didn’t just breach the standards of professionalism, it was utterly condemnable and unforgivable."

Police Scotland confirmed it launched an investigation into Jackson.

A spokeswoman said: "Officers in Falkirk arrested a 29-year-old man on Thursday, 10 June, 2021 in connection with an ongoing enquiry. A report was submitted to the Procurator Fiscal and enquiries remain ongoing."

The office of the Procurator Fiscal, the Scottish equivalent of the Crown Office, has confirmed the matter is still under consideration but declined to comment further.

The incident comes as police forces across the country face intense scrutiny over the behaviour of officers following cases involving serving officers, including Sarah Everard's murderer Wayne Couzens and serial rapist David Carrick.

An independent report last week branded The Metropolitan Police as institutionally racist, sexist and homophobic, in the wake of the Couzens and Carrick revelations.

Supt Maultby said the force was fully committed to "rooting out" officers and employees who "fail to adhere to our high levels of standards and professionalism".

"We will always ensure they are held accountable for their actions,” he said.

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