Ex-Special Constable ‘sacked’ over lies about on duty affair with Northamptonshire Police officer

A female Special Constable who “joked” about having sex with another Northamptonshire Police officer while on duty would have been sacked if she had not already quit, a disciplinary panel has ruled.

Robyn Wilson claimed she told two colleagues about her affair with the officer during a “jovial and raucous evening” drinking cider in a local pub but they had used the information in attempt to “destroy her career”.

She lied about swapping intimate photos and having been at home having sex with the officer — referred to as Officer A — when they were both on duty and he was called on his radio to attend an emergency incident. Her colleagues reported the conversation to senior officers over concerns for Wilson's welfare.

Details of a hearing published by Northamptonshire Police revealed Wilson insisted the stories were said “in the context of a jovial and raucous evening” and the officers were “responsible for what she considered to be 'wicked lies' made with the intention of destroying her career.”

Wilson resigned from Northamptonshire Police on April 27 this year following a conviction for assault over an off-duty brawl on a train, but attended the two-day hearing at Force HQ on August 12 and August 13.

The rationale of the panel's decision added that Wilson was “was unable to offer any credible explanation as to why they would collude together to ‘set her up’ with the intention of destroying her career.”

A statement of facts said: “On 3 July the officers attended a public house due to concerns regarding SC Wilson’s wellbeing as a result of her recent disclosure about Officer A and various personal issues that adversely affected her wellbeing.

“During the course of the evening the officers consumed alcohol and SC Wilson said that she was involved in an intimate sexual relationship with Officer A and that they had had sex whilst Officer A was on duty; and disclosed personal details about Officer A’s personal relationship with his partner.

“Officer A denied being engaged in a sexual relationship with SC Wilson. The officers were surprised by what they had heard and were concerned for SC Wilson’s welfare and therefore decided to report the incident to a senior officer, an Inspector, the following day.

“During the evening SC Wilson told the officers that she had previously exchanged naked photographs with Officer A. The officers recall being shown photographs of a female whom they assumed was SC Wilson and that of a male whom from the context it was assumed was Officer A.”

Wilson was enrolled as a student at Northampton University completing a policing diploma qualification and working as a special constable at the time.

The panel, led by legally qualified chair David Tyme, ruled that Wilson's false statements “may have the tendency to undermine confidence in policing by suggesting that police officers are dishonest and/or meet up whilst on duty to have sex”.

It determined all the allegations were proven as gross misconduct and that had the former special constable still been a serving officer, she would have been dismissed.