Cheshire Police officer who had sex with woman while responding to 999 call guilty of misconduct

A former Cheshire Police officer who had sex with a woman while responding to a 999 call at her home has been found guilty of misconduct in public office.

The case against Jordan Masterson began on Tuesday 28 December 2021 after Cheshire Police received a report that he had sex with a woman while he was on duty.

Masterson was arrested within hours and the incident was referred to the Independent Office of Police Conduct (IOPC), who took over the investigation.

He was subsequently charged with misconduct in public office.

During his trial, a jury at Chester Crown Court was shown body cam footage of Masterson arriving at the victim's home in Widnes, after she had called 999 to report a disturbance.

The woman can initially be seen crying in the video, which is turned off by Masterson, while the two stand in the kitchen of the home.

The woman, referred to in court as female G, said she had been drunk and her memory of the time was "hazy".

She said: "How does this happen? How do you call the police and he ends up taking advantage of you when you’re drunk and vulnerable?"

Mr Masterson had denied misconduct in a public office, but was found guilty by a jury on Thursday 1 February.

Cheshire Constabulary Deputy Chief Constable Chris Armitt said:

"I welcome the outcome of this case and hope the verdict will provide some reassurance to the woman in this case and the wider public.

"As soon as we became aware of the allegations, we acted swiftly to arrest Masterson and he was immediately suspended from duty.

"During the investigation, it became clear that Masterson had taken advantage of a vulnerable victim of crime.

"Not only that, but he also purposefully turned off his body camera and destroyed evidence to hide his offending.

"Thankfully, he has now been held accountable for his actions."

Masterson resigned from Cheshire Police in June 2022 – prior to an Accelerated Misconduct Hearing.

At the hearing Masterson was found to have committed gross misconduct and would have been sacked had he not resigned.

He has been added to the College of Policing Barred List, meaning he will never work in policing again.

DCC Armitt added:

"While I understand the concern that this case may cause, the overwhelming majority of our officers are professional, dedicated individuals who act with integrity and work hard to keep Cheshire safe.

"We actively enforce the highest standards of integrity and professionalism, and I want to reassure anyone who turns to us for help, or who finds themselves in need of our assistance, can be completely confident that they will be treated with the courtesy, respect and professionalism they deserve.”

Masterson, from Townsend Road, Liverpool, is set to be sentenced at Chester Crown Court on Wednesday 20 March.