Latest news with #CriminalJusticeandCourtsAct2015
The Independent
22-02-2025
- The Independent
Police officer caught removing burglar's tag in secret sexual relationship
A police officer has been jailed after having a secret relationship with a known burglar and removing his monitoring tag so that he could visit her home without being traced. Natasha Conneely was sentenced to 18 months in prison at St Albans Crown Court, after pleading guilty to a charge of corrupt or improper exercise of police powers and privileges. Police warned that her actions had 'risked undermining the entire offender management system' and 'had real potential to leave the offender free to further offend'. Conneely was found in May 2023 to have started a relationship with the known burglar while working as part of the offender management unit at Bedfordshire Police. The force said it had investigated and found messages between the pair, and that Conneely had removed the offender's electronic tag in April so he could visit her home without being traced. Afterwards, Conneely would check the systems to ensure their whereabouts had not been tracked, the force said. It was later discovered the pair had spent the night together in a hotel in Leeds in June. Conneely was charged with corrupt or other improper exercise of police powers and privileges, in breach of Section 26 of the Criminal Justice and Courts Act 2015. Bedfordshire Police said Conneely resigned from the force and a November 2023 tribunal found her behaviour amounted to gross misconduct. The tribunal ruled that Conneely would have been dismissed had she not already quit, and she was put on the College of Policing's Barred List, banning her from returning to policing. Chief Constable Trevor Rodenhurst said: 'Natasha Conneely was part of a team responsible for the monitoring and management of offenders who are in our community. 'The team manages the risk of these individuals through tagging and other means to deter reoffending and assist their rehabilitation into society. 'Becoming involved in a sexual relationship with such an offender was totally inappropriate and her actions to allow them to spend time together undetected were entirely selfish and had real potential to leave the offender free to further offend with no safeguards in place. 'The evidence of their communication, in my view, demonstrates she entered this relationship and course of conduct of her own free will and her conduct falls far below the standard the public rightly expect. 'Her actions risked undermining the entire offender management system and she let down multiple colleagues and departments who work together to keep our communities safe. 'There is simply no place in policing for anyone who behaves in such a way.'
Sky News
22-02-2025
- Sky News
Police officer removed burglar's tag to have secret sexual relationship
A police officer who removed a burglar's electronic tag so she could have a secret sexual relationship with him has been jailed. Natasha Conneely was part of a Bedfordshire Police unit responsible for offender management in May 2023 when the relationship was discovered. The force said its professional standards department found messages between the pair. An investigation revealed Conneely had removed the offender's electronic tag in April so he could visit her home without being traced, then checked the systems to ensure his whereabouts hadn't been tracked. Conneely was also found to have spent the night with the burglar in a hotel in Leeds in June. She admitted a charge of corrupt or other improper exercise of police powers and privileges, in breach of Section 26 of the Criminal Justice and Courts Act 2015. She was jailed for 18 months at St Albans Crown Court on Friday. Chief Constable Trevor Rodenhurst said: "There is simply no place in policing for anyone who behaves in such a way." He said Conneely was part of a team responsible for managing the risk of offenders "through tagging and other means to deter reoffending and assist their rehabilitation into society". "Becoming involved in a sexual relationship with such an offender was totally inappropriate and her actions to allow them to spend time together undetected were entirely selfish and had real potential to leave the offender free to further offend with no safeguards in place," Mr Rodenhurst said. "The evidence of their communication, in my view, demonstrates she entered this relationship and course of conduct of her own free will and her conduct falls far below the standard the public rightly expect. "Her actions risked undermining the entire offender management system and she let down multiple colleagues and departments who work together to keep our communities safe. Bedfordshire Police said Conneely resigned from the force and a November 2023 tribunal found her behaviour amounted to gross misconduct and ruled she would have been dismissed had she not already quit.
The Independent
21-02-2025
- The Independent
Police officer removed criminal's tag so she could have secret relationship with him
A police officer who removed a monitored offender's tag so that she could have a secret relationship with him has been jailed. Natasha Conneely was working as part of the offender management unit at Bedfordshire Police in May 2023 when it was discovered she had started a relationship with a known burglar, the force said. Bedfordshire Police said its Professional Standards Department investigated and found messages between the pair, and that Conneely had removed the offender's electronic tag in April so he could visit her home without being traced. Afterwards, Conneely would check the systems to ensure their whereabouts had not been tracked, the force said. It was later discovered the pair had spent the night together in a hotel in Leeds in June. Conneely was charged with corrupt or other improper exercise of police powers and privileges, in breach of Section 26 of the Criminal Justice and Courts Act 2015. She admitted the charge and on Friday was sentenced to 18 months in prison at St Albans Crown Court. Bedfordshire Police said Conneely resigned from the force and a November 2023 tribunal found her behaviour amounted to gross misconduct and ruled she would have been dismissed had she not already quit. Conneely was put on the College of Policing's Barred List, banning her from returning to policing, the force confirmed. Chief Constable Trevor Rodenhurst said: 'Natasha Conneely was part of a team responsible for the monitoring and management of offenders who are in our community. 'The team manages the risk of these individuals through tagging and other means to deter reoffending and assist their rehabilitation into society. 'Becoming involved in a sexual relationship with such an offender was totally inappropriate and her actions to allow them to spend time together undetected were entirely selfish and had real potential to leave the offender free to further offend with no safeguards in place. 'The evidence of their communication, in my view, demonstrates she entered this relationship and course of conduct of her own free will and her conduct falls far below the standard the public rightly expect. 'Her actions risked undermining the entire offender management system and she let down multiple colleagues and departments who work together to keep our communities safe. 'There is simply no place in policing for anyone who behaves in such a way.'
Yahoo
21-02-2025
- Yahoo
Police officer who removed burglar's tag to have relationship with him is jailed
A police officer who removed a monitored offender's tag so that she could have a secret relationship with him has been jailed. Natasha Conneely was working as part of the offender management unit at Bedfordshire Police in May 2023 when it was discovered she had started a relationship with a known burglar, the force said. Bedfordshire Police said its Professional Standards Department investigated and found messages between the pair, and that Conneely had removed the offender's electronic tag in April so he could visit her home without being traced. Afterwards, Conneely would check the systems to ensure their whereabouts had not been tracked, the force said. It was later discovered the pair had spent the night together in a hotel in Leeds in June. Conneely was charged with corrupt or other improper exercise of police powers and privileges, in breach of Section 26 of the Criminal Justice and Courts Act 2015. She admitted the charge and on Friday was sentenced to 18 months in prison at St Albans Crown Court. Bedfordshire Police said Conneely resigned from the force and a November 2023 tribunal found her behaviour amounted to gross misconduct and ruled she would have been dismissed had she not already quit. Conneely was put on the College of Policing's Barred List, banning her from returning to policing, the force confirmed. Chief Constable Trevor Rodenhurst said: 'Natasha Conneely was part of a team responsible for the monitoring and management of offenders who are in our community. 'The team manages the risk of these individuals through tagging and other means to deter reoffending and assist their rehabilitation into society. 'Becoming involved in a sexual relationship with such an offender was totally inappropriate and her actions to allow them to spend time together undetected were entirely selfish and had real potential to leave the offender free to further offend with no safeguards in place. 'The evidence of their communication, in my view, demonstrates she entered this relationship and course of conduct of her own free will and her conduct falls far below the standard the public rightly expect. 'Her actions risked undermining the entire offender management system and she let down multiple colleagues and departments who work together to keep our communities safe. 'There is simply no place in policing for anyone who behaves in such a way.'
