GROSS MISCONDUCT FOUND AGAINST WARWICKSHIRE POLICE OFFICER WHO PURSUED INAPPROPRIATE RELATIONSHIP WITH WOMAN
A police officer from Warwickshire who sought an inappropriate relationship with a mother connected to a child victim has been found to have committed gross misconduct, according to a disciplinary panel's decision following an investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).During an expedited misconduct hearing on Friday, April 17, DC John Littlewood was adjudged to have violated standards relating to authority, respect, courtesy, honesty, integrity, duties, responsibilities, and conduct.
The panel determined that he would have faced dismissal if he had still been employed, but since he had already left the force, he will now be barred from rejoining the police service.
The 52-year-old officer, who was part of the Child Abuse, Trafficking & Exploitation unit, admitted to one count of improperly exercising police powers and privileges in court in January.
He received an eight-month prison sentence, suspended for 15 months, along with an order to complete 100 hours of community service.
The investigation uncovered that Littlewood exchanged hundreds of messages with a woman he met through his work, many containing sexually explicit content.
Derrick Campbell, director of the IOPC, explained: “At the time, DC Littlewood worked in the public protection unit and had access to vulnerable women.
He abused this trust by engaging in predatory behavior and pursuing an inappropriate relationship.” The inquiry, which started in December 2023 following a referral from Warwickshire Police, concluded in December 2024 with a file of evidence sent to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), leading to charges.
Littlewood first met Female X in October 2021 during an investigation into a sexual assault complaint involving her daughter.
Between May and September 2023, investigators found he had exchanged over 300 messages with her, many of an inappropriate nature.
One message read: “if you are careless with my messages and don’t delete them you could really drop me in it at work.” Further inquiries included CCTV analysis and cell site mapping, which confirmed Littlewood meeting Female X at a Coventry hotel in the early hours of October 1, 2023, lasting around 50 minutes.
He also frequently visited her home, raising concerns among a support worker, who alerted Warwickshire Police’s Professional Standards Department.
Campbell added: “Female X was vulnerable and manipulated by DC Littlewood.
He met her while on duty, using his role to foster a friendship that developed into inappropriate contact, including sexualized messages.
“The officer knew such behavior was wrong, telling her to delete messages, including some sent while on duty, to avoid trouble at work.
Police standards clearly state that officers must never use their position to establish or pursue improper relationships with victims, witnesses, or other vulnerable persons, nor should they engage in inappropriate communication.” He further noted that Littlewood had completed an integrity health check on September 18, 2023, acknowledging an understanding of the Code of Ethics and professional boundaries, yet evidence showed he exchanged hundreds of messages with Female X and deleted many others, indicating misconduct.
