A former police officer who had sex with vulnerable women and pursued inappropriate relationships after meeting them during his official duties has been sentenced to three years in prison.
Oliver Perry-Smith has been described as a “sexual predator” who “abuses his power” and “violates public trust” by harassing members of society for sex while in the Thames Valley Police.
The Independent Police Behavior Supervisory Authority (IOPC) launched an investigation in November 2019 and found that Perry-Smith had a case to prosecute for a gross violation.
The IOPC said the officer harassed six women between September 2014 and November 2019, whom he met during his duties.
The 38-year-old, who joined the Thames Valley Police in 2009 and passed the exam to become a sergeant, had sex with three people and tried to have sex with the others, the guard said.
He sought the details of one of these women and the seventh woman in the computer systems of the non-police force while at the Newbury police station, the IOPC added.
The Authority ruled that all women were vulnerable either because they were the subject of a police complaint requiring an investigation or were victims, witnesses or acting as appropriate adults for young victims of crime.
His actions were revealed in 2019, when a woman called the police after Perry-Smith, who had previously visited her friend’s home, then sent her an indecent image. The guard found that the police officer also searched for details about her and her family in the police computer system.
In another case, he used a police computer to identify a woman using her car registration after parking next to her and watching her enter a store, the IOPC said.
Perry-Smith of Newbury later called the police home and made personal comments about her appearance, even though she knew she was alone with a small child, the guard said.
The woman became suspicious and filed a complaint with the IOPC.
The former PC pleaded guilty to three counts of misconduct and two counts of unauthorized access to computer materials, in violation of the 1990 Computer Abuse Act.
Perry-Smith, who resigned from the Thames Valley Police on February 8 this year, was sentenced by a court in Reading to three years and six months in prison.
IOPC Regional Director Graham Beasley said: “Perry-Smith was a sexual predator and his behavior caused considerable discomfort to the women involved. He has been fruitful in abusing his position for five years and his actions have been deliberate, deliberate, purposeful and planned.
“His actions were often at the expense of his official police duties.”
Beasley said Perry-Smith’s actions “seriously undermined the good work of most police officers who provide professional services to the public on a daily basis.”
The IOPC said it would also be on the banned list, which would prevent future work in the police force.
Crown Senior Crown Prosecutor Charles White of the Crown Prosecution Service said Perry-Smith took advantage of his “privileged position and access to police resources to pursue several women for several years.”
He said: “He knowingly violated police policy when he made personal visits during his service. He seemed to think that by lying to his superiors and using his duties as an excuse, he would be immune to the consequences of his actions.
“Today’s verdict proves that no one is above the law, including those who must abide by it. Perry-Smith abuses his power, undermines public trust, and makes many women uncomfortable or insecure about his inappropriate persecution.
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Information and support for anyone affected by sexual violence is available from the following organizations. In the United Kingdom, Rape Crisis offers support on 0808 802 9999 in England and Wales, 0808 801 0302 in Scotland or 0800 0246 991 in Northern Ireland. In the US, Rainn offers support at 800-656-4673. In Australia, support is available on 1800Respect (1800 737 732). Other international helplines can be found at ibiblio.org/rcip/internl.html
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