South Wales Police officer sent abuse victims sexual messages whilst investigating their cases
A serving police officer sent sexual messages to victims of abuse whilst investigating their cases and started a relationship with one of the women.
Swansea Crown Court heard Richard Helling also used a police computer to see if anyone reported a woman performing a sex act on him in a car at a Bridgend golf club.
The former South Wales Police officer, 49, served in the Maesteg area in 2018.
In 2022, Mr Helling moved to an investigative role. His offences involved four victims and took place across a two-year period starting three years ago.
In October 2020, when a victim reported her ex-partner for harassment, Mr Helling came to her work to take a statement.
He gave a "vulnerable" woman his personal home number and went on to use his personal phone to text her inappropriate messages.
Mr Helling asked to share a bath with her and the victim then blocked the number.
Later that year, he visited the home of a victim of domestic abuse experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder.
The next month, he visited to give a case update and she emailed him photographs of her injuries, which were to her breasts.
He went on to contact her 268 times in four weeks, often early in the morning, using his police mobile.
In 2021 he started messaging her on a private Instagram account, where in one message he said: "You probably don't recognise me but here's a clue."
He accompanied this with police and winking emojis.
In a later message, sent with a clapping emoji, he said: "Only wondered how you were the other day, I was emptying emails when I came across the one showing your bruise.
"Got to say, fantastic boobs."
He was on-duty one afternoon in September last year when he arranged to meet a woman in the vicinity of the St Mary's golf club.
A month later, one of the victims went to Bridgend police station to complain that he had contacted her at 5am that day, asking her to delete any messages between them.
He told her he was "in trouble with the police", adding: "I'm going to lose my job anyway, if you report this now I'm in even worse s***."
He told her he had been arrested over his contact with other victims, then said: "I wish I never told you now, I'm pleading with you now."
Mr Helling pleaded guilty to four counts of improperly exercising police powers, one of perverting the course of justice, and two of unauthorised access to police computer material.
Earlier this month he resigned from the force days before a misconduct hearing which saw him barred from the police register.
He was sentenced to 15 months in jail.
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