DETECTIVE HAD RELATIONSHIP WITH VULNERABLE WOMAN
A former police detective who started a sexual relationship with a vulnerable woman weeks after she asked him for advice about domestic abuse would have been sacked if he hadn’t quit.Former DC Mark Simpson worked for Thames Valley Police’s domestic abuse investigation unit at Newbury Police Station in Berkshire until he resigned in July 2024.
A panel was told he was approached by the woman, who was in an abusive relationship, after her arrest on suspicion of assaulting her boyfriend in April 2022.
Their friendship developed into a sexual relationship within weeks, and a TVP panel found Mr Simpson "knew that what he was doing was wrong but he did it anyway." Mr Simpson conducted inappropriate searches on TVP's computer systems into the woman, referred to as Miss A, and her boyfriend.
He later disclosed confidential details about another woman’s arrest, known as Miss A, to her.
He only disclosed his "potential" relationship with her to TVP in June 2023, about 14 months after it had started, which showed he was aware that his failure to do so was a breach of standards.
In September 2023, Miss A was arrested at Mr Simpson’s home on suspicion of assault and property damage.
Despite bail conditions to limit contact, they continued sharing texts, phone calls, and their relationship.
Mr Simpson provided a retraction statement in October 2023, and Miss A was not charged.
The panel concluded that Mr Simpson’s conduct "clearly surpassed the threshold for gross misconduct" and he would have been dismissed if still employed.
Mr Simpson was placed on the College of Policing’s Barred List.
