DECLAN MIDDLETON FROM KEIGHLEY SENTENCED TO TWO YEARS FOR POLICE MISCONDUCT IN WEST YORKSHIRE

A former police officer named Declan Middleton, aged 33 and residing on Lark Field Terrace in Keighley, has been handed a two-year prison sentence after being found guilty of two counts of misconduct in public office. The court proceedings revealed disturbing details about Middleton’s abuse of his official position, which involved inappropriate and unprofessional conduct towards victims he was supposed to be assisting and investigating.

Middleton’s misconduct came to light during a period when he had recently joined West Yorkshire Police amidst the chaos of the first COVID-19 lockdown. His misconduct was first brought to attention through an incident involving a vulnerable woman who had reported an alleged assault. During a meeting in May 2020, Middleton requested to be shown to a toilet, and in an act that the court described as a gross breach of trust, he proceeded to grab her bottom from behind as he walked behind her. This inappropriate behavior was followed by Middleton leaving her his personal phone number, which he later used to send flirtatious and explicit messages over the course of several days.

Further allegations revealed that Middleton returned to the woman’s home and engaged in consensual sexual activity with her. Despite denying these allegations during his trial, the court condemned his actions as a grotesque violation of professional conduct and trust. The judge, Simon Batiste, emphasized that such behavior severely damages public confidence in law enforcement agencies. Middleton’s resignation from the police force followed the emergence of these allegations, and it was noted that he had previously been barred from serving as a police officer.

In addition to the incident with the first woman, Middleton was also found to have sent explicit WhatsApp messages to a second woman. This woman had approached the police to report malicious messages she had received, and Middleton’s inappropriate communication further eroded her trust in law enforcement. Despite these serious breaches, the court considered Middleton to be at a 'low risk' of reoffending. The judge remarked that Middleton’s attitude and conduct rendered him 'wholly unsuitable to be a police officer.'

During his imprisonment, Middleton’s family was reported to be under financial strain, highlighting the personal toll of his actions and subsequent conviction. The court’s decision underscores the importance of integrity and professionalism within the police force, and the case serves as a stark reminder of the devastating impact misconduct can have on victims and the community at large.