Greater Manchester Police officer sacked for sending ‘flirty’ Whatsapp messages to vulnerable woman

A police officer has been sacked for sending ‘flirty’ Whatsapp messages to a vulnerable woman he met after taking part in a search for her. Greater Manchester Police officer PC Robert Whitehead contacted her from his work phone and his personal phone while on and off duty, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said.

An Accelerated Misconduct Hearing held at Greater Manchester Police HQ on Tuesday (September 19) heard that PC Whitehead exchanged the messages on his work mobile after creating a care plan for the woman, who had previously been reported missing. 

Chief Constable Stephen Watson, who chaired the hearing, said PC Whitehead was aware that the woman was vulnerable but still ‘engaged in flirtatious messaging’ in November 2022.The messaging then switched to his personal phone, with PC Whitehead subsequently asking the woman to delete all the messages and photos exchanged between them. 

The woman then threatened to inform GMP about the messages and reported the exchanges, at which point PC Whitehead was suspended. Julian King told the hearing that his client accepted his actions were ‘misjudged’ but that ‘he had not been pursuing a sexual or romantic relationship’ with the woman.

CC Watson dismissed PC Whitehead without notice, finding his actions breached the standards of integrity and professional behaviour and that it amounted to gross misconduct. 

He said: “While much of the messaging could amount to an officer checking on a vulnerable female’s safety and wellbeing, there were messages that were grossly inappropriate and of a sexual nature.

“Mr Whitehead knew his actions were inappropriate having chosen to swap his police issue mobile to his personal number. He should have known that it was entirely inappropriate and an abuse of power and falls far below the behaviours and standards that the public expects.”

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) carried out an investigation into PC Whitehead's conduct following a referral from GMP. PC Whitehead, who was based at Tameside, was also added to the College of Policing Barred List, which bans him from working in policing in future. 

Detective Chief Superintendent Michael Allen, of GMP’s Professional Standards Branch, said: “Every day and night, officers from GMP put on their uniforms to protect the vulnerable people in our communities from harm.

"Whitehead failed in that very duty, seriously abusing his privileged position by communicating with a vulnerable female in a grossly improper way, thus exposing her to further harm. 

"I thank the IOPC for its investigation having referred this case to them, producing quality evidence that GMP's Professional Standards Branch used to take Whitehead to an accelerated misconduct hearing. 

"Having abused his position by departing from the highest standards of professional behaviour that all police officers must embody, it is right that he has been dismissed from the force and barred from ever working in policing again.

"He will no longer be able to put on a uniform nor carry a warrant card, and GMP are a better police service without him.

"No-one in GMP will tolerate working alongside someone who behaves in such a corrupt way and this is why the Chief Constable has stripped Whitehead of his powers, privileges and his employment."