There has been growing concern over cases where police officers abuse their position of power to carry out these offences, resulting in the lack of public trust in law enforcement.
If you suspect a police officer, staff member or volunteer of corruption or serious abuse, call the Police Anti-Corruption and Abuse Reporting Service on 0800 085 0000. Here are some of the police officers who were convicted for the heinous crimes they committed.
5. Mitchell Curtis
Avon and Somerset Police officer PC Mitchell Curtis, 34, was found guilty by jurors of two counts of controlling and coercive behaviour, intentional suffocation and criminal damage. He was released on bail and will be sentenced on a date to be confirmed. The offences occurred in South Gloucestershire and were committed while Curtis was off-duty. The jury were told Curtis had been physically, emotionally and verbally abusive towards the victim over an 18-month period. The victim reported what had happened to police in October 2022. Curtis was arrested the same day and suspended while a criminal investigation was carried out. | Getty Images/iStockphoto
6. Lorna Pennycook
PC Lorna Pennycook, 38, researched information across various West Midlands Police systems between 2017 and 2021 and passed information to boyfriend Anthony Kennedy, a known criminal. She also carried out checks for outstanding warrants for Sandwell – where Kennedy lived – 42 times between 2017 and 2021 compared with only a handful of checks in that time for other areas she did not police. Between August and November 2017, Pennycook, who worked with the West Midlands Police Birmingham east and west organised crime and gangs teams, sought information about two HGV thefts Kennedy was involved in on 22 August 2017 and 26 October 2017. She searched systems for warrants and suspects, and viewed police logs for both thefts, which contained information about the investigations. Pennycook, who resigned from West Midlands Police shortly after her arrest, wa sentenced to four years' imprisonment at Birmingham Crown Court. | CPS
7. Muhammed Mustafa Darr
Corrupt former Met Police officer Muhammed Mustafa Darr used bank details of deceased people to buy hundreds of pounds’ worth of electronics online and stole a member of the public’s laptop. The former police constable was also sentenced over accessing police records, including into a fraud investigation into himself. The 39-year-old had pleaded guilty to three charges of misconduct in public office, and was sentenced to 40 months’ imprisonment | Met Police
8. Steven Tissier
Steven Tissier, 37, a former Basildon police officer, was jailed for four years after being guilty of sexually assaulting a woman after a night out. As part of his sentence, he will be on the sex offenders’ register for life. The offence took place in March 2022 and related to an assault whilst off duty that was investigated by the Essex Police Professional Standards Department. The former officer also sexually assaulted the victim by groping her breast under her top. He has also been placed on the College of Policing Barred Register ensuring he cannot re-join policing in any capacity. | Essex Police