North Wales Police: Officer resigned for having sex with 'vulnerable victim of crime'

A former police officer quit his job after having sex with a woman he had met while on duty.

John Kelham worked at North Wales Police when he met a woman has been described as a "vulnerable victim of crime".

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) found evidence that Mr Kelham "persistently sought to persuade" the woman to take their relationship further.

He asked the woman to meet him on numerous occasions, as well as making plain that he was seeking "intimate contact with her".

At the end of the investigation, the IOPC found that Mr Kelham had a case to answer for gross misconduct, for inappropriate contact with a vulnerable woman he met through his duties.

Mr Kelham resigned from North Wales Police in March this year.

At a hearing today, it was found that the former officer had breached standards of professional behaviour and would have been dismissed had he not already resigned.

IOPC Director David Ford said: “Police officers are expected to conduct themselves professionally at all times and are rightly held to certain standards when it comes to their interactions with members of the public.”

"Such conduct can cause substantial damage to public trust and confidence in the police and is particularly serious where the subject of the officer’s behaviour is targeted towards a vulnerable person."

North Wales Police also carried out a separate investigation into the conduct of Mr Kelham, which was dealt with at the same misconduct hearing.

Mr Kelham will also be placed on the police barred list.

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To know...