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| A former police officer who raped and sexually assaulted vulnerable women he had arrested was jailed for life today. | A former police officer who raped and sexually assaulted vulnerable women he had arrested was jailed for life today. |
| Stephen Mitchell, 42, who was a constable with Northumbria police, was convicted last November of two rapes, three indecent assaults and six counts of misconduct in a public office. He was cleared of three rapes, two indecent assaults and two counts of misconduct. | Stephen Mitchell, 42, who was a constable with Northumbria police, was convicted last November of two rapes, three indecent assaults and six counts of misconduct in a public office. He was cleared of three rapes, two indecent assaults and two counts of misconduct. |
| Mitchell was given two life sentences today and told he would not be eligible for parole for at least seven-and-a-half years. | Mitchell was given two life sentences today and told he would not be eligible for parole for at least seven-and-a-half years. |
| The five-week trial at Newcastle crown court heard he preyed on women he met while on duty. | The five-week trial at Newcastle crown court heard he preyed on women he met while on duty. |
| Mitchell, originally from Glasgow, raped and sexually abused heroin addicts, shoplifters and a disabled teenager by offering them help while in custody, then demanding sexual favours afterwards. | Mitchell, originally from Glasgow, raped and sexually abused heroin addicts, shoplifters and a disabled teenager by offering them help while in custody, then demanding sexual favours afterwards. |
| He blackmailed one of his victims by claiming she would not be able to get her children back from local authority care unless she complied with his demands. | He blackmailed one of his victims by claiming she would not be able to get her children back from local authority care unless she complied with his demands. |
| Following the trial, questions were being asked about Northumbria police's recruitment policies after it emerged Mitchell had been charged with a serious sexual assault while serving in the army in the 1980s. | Following the trial, questions were being asked about Northumbria police's recruitment policies after it emerged Mitchell had been charged with a serious sexual assault while serving in the army in the 1980s. |
| The charge was subsequently dropped before coming to court in Edinburgh and he was not convicted of any offence. But there is concern about whether the Northumbria force was aware of his past when it accepted his application. He joined the police in 1991 after leaving the army. | The charge was subsequently dropped before coming to court in Edinburgh and he was not convicted of any offence. But there is concern about whether the Northumbria force was aware of his past when it accepted his application. He joined the police in 1991 after leaving the army. |
| During his trial, it emerged that in 2007, the force punished him when it was discovered he had had sex with a woman he had met as part of his duties. But he was not dismissed. | During his trial, it emerged that in 2007, the force punished him when it was discovered he had had sex with a woman he had met as part of his duties. But he was not dismissed. |
| A year earlier, he had been fined three days' wages for looking up his wife's new friends on the force computer after the couple had separated. He was finally dismissed from the force in March last year after he was charged with the serious sexual offences. | A year earlier, he had been fined three days' wages for looking up his wife's new friends on the force computer after the couple had separated. He was finally dismissed from the force in March last year after he was charged with the serious sexual offences. |
| One of his victims, a mother of three, now 34, who is a former heroin addict, said he had destroyed her life. | One of his victims, a mother of three, now 34, who is a former heroin addict, said he had destroyed her life. |
| She first met Mitchell when she was arrested on a theft charge nine years ago. When she was released from prison, he offered to help get her children back. He gave her a bag of heroin, then gave her a lift to a shop to buy foil and a lighter so she could take the drug. | She first met Mitchell when she was arrested on a theft charge nine years ago. When she was released from prison, he offered to help get her children back. He gave her a bag of heroin, then gave her a lift to a shop to buy foil and a lighter so she could take the drug. |
| The woman said he threatened he would plant heroin on her and ensure she never got her children back if she did not do what he ordered. Mitchell then raped her in his car. | The woman said he threatened he would plant heroin on her and ensure she never got her children back if she did not do what he ordered. Mitchell then raped her in his car. |
| "I am on antidepressants and diazepam because of what he did to me," she said. "I used to wash myself with Dettol because I felt so dirty and now I can't have kids because of the damage that has caused." | "I am on antidepressants and diazepam because of what he did to me," she said. "I used to wash myself with Dettol because I felt so dirty and now I can't have kids because of the damage that has caused." |
| Mitchell claimed the women colluded against him after rumours circulated about him. He told one of the victims that nobody would believe a junkie. | Mitchell claimed the women colluded against him after rumours circulated about him. He told one of the victims that nobody would believe a junkie. |
| Another victim, from Newcastle, was a heroin addict when Mitchell arrested her for shoplifting in 2002. She said: "He took me to the cells and the next thing I knew he came down with a cup of tea for me and a cigarette, which I thought was really strange. | Another victim, from Newcastle, was a heroin addict when Mitchell arrested her for shoplifting in 2002. She said: "He took me to the cells and the next thing I knew he came down with a cup of tea for me and a cigarette, which I thought was really strange. |
| "He came towards me and kissed me on the lips. It was more than just a peck and I was completely taken aback." | "He came towards me and kissed me on the lips. It was more than just a peck and I was completely taken aback." |
| When she was begging on the streets, he would repeatedly target her. | When she was begging on the streets, he would repeatedly target her. |
| She said: "He would come over and start telling me how much he fancied me and how pretty he thought I was. At the time I just thought he was a bit pervy." He would give her lifts and talk about his marriage problems, then try to kiss her, she said. | She said: "He would come over and start telling me how much he fancied me and how pretty he thought I was. At the time I just thought he was a bit pervy." He would give her lifts and talk about his marriage problems, then try to kiss her, she said. |
| "It happened about 10 times. I didn't think it was too serious and I went along with it because I felt like he was always doing me favours and I didn't want to tick him off by saying anything." | "It happened about 10 times. I didn't think it was too serious and I went along with it because I felt like he was always doing me favours and I didn't want to tick him off by saying anything." |
| She added: "I'm pleased justice has been done in my case but there are other charges he was cleared of. At the end of the day it was one person's word against another and the jury had to go on the evidence they were presented with." | She added: "I'm pleased justice has been done in my case but there are other charges he was cleared of. At the end of the day it was one person's word against another and the jury had to go on the evidence they were presented with." |
| Jim Campbell, of Northumbria police, said Mitchell was an "evil and manipulative" man who had lied on his police application form by not revealing the charges in Edinburgh. "There is no place in the police service for such evil and manipulative behaviour," he said. | Jim Campbell, of Northumbria police, said Mitchell was an "evil and manipulative" man who had lied on his police application form by not revealing the charges in Edinburgh. "There is no place in the police service for such evil and manipulative behaviour," he said. |
| Campbell added that the Northumbria police counter-corruption unit had been improved since the investigation began. "Had we been aware of his arrests or prosecution, he would never have been allowed to join Northumbria police." | Campbell added that the Northumbria police counter-corruption unit had been improved since the investigation began. "Had we been aware of his arrests or prosecution, he would never have been allowed to join Northumbria police." |
| The case had done "horrendous" damage to the force's reputation, he said. | The case had done "horrendous" damage to the force's reputation, he said. |