Leicestershire Police officer dismissed for contacting sex workers

Summarised from 3 outlets · 5 reports · Updated 5 Nov, 22:39 · Archive

A Leicestershire Police officer has been dismissed and barred after a panel found they were persistently trying to contact sex workers.

A Leicestershire Police officer has been dismissed following a two-day gross misconduct hearing at the force's headquarters in Enderby. The officer, who joined the force in 2004 and has since resigned, would have been sacked had they not stepped down. The officer has been placed on the police's barred list and granted anonymity.

The hearing heard that calls were made on 8 December 2024 to three sex worker contacts after midnight, with further calls made just after 2am to three other numbers linked to sex workers but not saved on the phone. The officer had six previous traces of numbers associated with sex workers on their phone, including WhatsApp conversations between 2019 and 2025, many connected to websites where sexual services are advertised.

When questioned, the officer claimed they had unlocked their phone and handed it to someone they did not know during a night out. Panel chair Julia Debenham said this response was "implausible and untrue". The panel concluded it was "more likely than not" that the officer had tried to contact sex workers and determined they were "persistently trying to procure sexual services".

Liz Briggs, representing the appropriate authority, told the hearing that the officer, as an experienced member of the force, would have known the rules around contacting sex workers and understood the vulnerabilities of individuals in the trade.

This is the third Leicestershire Police officer to face a misconduct hearing for contacting sex workers in less than two months. All three officers have been granted anonymity by the force.

How it is being reported

• Officer 'persistently' tried to contact sex workersThe officer told investigators they lent their phone to someone they did not know on a night out.BBC Leicester · 5 Nov, 18:25
• Leicestershire Police officer would have faced the sack for being ‘dishonest’ and ‘persistently trying’ to call sex workersA Leicestershire Police officer would have faced the sack for being “dishonest” and “persistently trying” to contact sex workers, a panel has found.Harborough Mail · 5 Nov, 17:13
• 'Dishonest' Leicestershire Police officer barred after 'persistently trying' to contact sex workersThey have been put on the police's barred listLeicestershire Live · 5 Nov, 15:52
• Officer blamed stranger for sex worker contactsThe former Leicestershire Police officer denies the allegations in a misconduct hearing.BBC Leicester · 4 Nov, 19:57
• Leicestershire Police officer claimed someone else used their phone to call sex workersThey are the third officer to face a misconduct hearing for contacting sex workers in less than two monthsLeicestershire Live · 4 Nov, 18:24

In this story: Leicestershire Police · Julia Debenham · Liz Briggs · Enderby · Local Democracy Reporting Service

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem · Corrections log