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Metropolitan police officer sacked over texts to girl | Metropolitan police officer sacked over texts to girl |
(40 minutes later) | |
A Metropolitan Police officer has been sacked after a misconduct hearing found he formed an "inappropriate relationship" with a 14-year-old girl. | A Metropolitan Police officer has been sacked after a misconduct hearing found he formed an "inappropriate relationship" with a 14-year-old girl. |
Pc Robert Nicholson met the girl in October 2009 while she was in custody and exchanged text and Facebook messages which had "sexual elements". | Pc Robert Nicholson met the girl in October 2009 while she was in custody and exchanged text and Facebook messages which had "sexual elements". |
He then met the girl when he took her out of her care home in east London. | He then met the girl when he took her out of her care home in east London. |
The constable, who was 27 at the time, faced a trial for sexual activity with a child but was found not guilty. | |
Reported missing | |
An Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) found he first met the girl at Bethnal Green Police station, where he was working as the jailer, when she had been arrested. | |
After Pc Nicholson got her number they exchanged hundreds of messages and regularly spoke by phone. | |
On 16 December 2009 he drove from his home in Colchester, Essex, to meet the girl at her care home in Romford. | |
Staff at the home reported her missing and one of the girl's friends told staff she was with a police officer. The officer returned her near to the home later the same day. | |
Deborah Glass, the IPCC commissioner for London, said: "We expect the police to protect us and our families, yet Pc Nicholson's actions were, from the outset, a disgraceful abuse of his position. | |
"Although he met the girl while she was in police custody, and there can be little doubt he knew her age and vulnerability, he exploited his position as a police officer to pursue her sexually. | |
"I am glad he is now no longer in a position to do this to anyone else." | |
Pc Nicholson stood trial on two counts of sexual activity with a 14-year-old child last November. | |
This related to allegations arising from the time the girl was away from the care home in December 2009. | |
He was found not guilty of both charges after a five day trial. |
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