FORMER THAMES VALLEY POLICE PC JAILED OVER INAPPROPRIATE RELATIONSHIPS
A 'sexual predator' police officer who had sex with vulnerable women and pursued inappropriate relationships while at work has been jailed.Oliver Perry-Smith, who worked for Thames Valley Police, was 'immediate and brazen' in pursuing sex with some of his six victims, the court heard.
The 38-year-old committed multiple offences between 2014 and 2019 while based in Newbury, Berkshire.
Perry-Smith was sentenced to three years and six months at Reading Crown Court.
The married father-of-one from Newbury was first charged after an investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) in April 2019.
He pleaded guilty to three counts of misconduct in a public office and two counts of computer misuse at a hearing in March.
Prosecutor Isabel Delamere said Perry-Smith tracked a potential partner’s address from her registration plate after parking next to her in a police car outside shops in February 2019.
Hours later, he told her he was visiting her flat because he claimed a cannabis smell had been detected nearby.
She reported his visit, and he was later found to have engaged in inappropriate behaviour including contacting her via text and making visits dressed in full uniform.
The court heard his behaviour was 'flirtatious' but left her 'terrified' of harm.
A woman he visited in her home in 2015 described his conduct as 'odd,' yet they pursued a relationship that eventually ended.
In 2018, Perry-Smith sought her out again via text after she called Thames Valley Police.
She now feels shame and regret for being taken advantage of.
Thames Valley Police confirmed Perry-Smith resigned on 8 February 2019; the force held a misconduct hearing on 9 February and deemed he would have been dismissed for gross misconduct.
The police force emphasized that Perry-Smith's conduct was criminal and abusive of his official position.
IOPC Director Graham Beesley called him a 'sexual predator' whose deliberate acts caused significant distress and were targeted, planned, and abusive of his role.
Perry-Smith's actions were considered gross misconduct, and he faced appropriate sentencing for his crimes.
