Detective sent 'flirtatious' text messages to attempted rape victim, panel hears

Kent Police officer denies trying to enter sexual relationship with vulnerable woman

The officer started chatting to the woman after they became Facebook friends

A police officer exchanged "flirtatious" messages about sugar daddy relationships with a victim of attempted rape, a misconduct hearing was told.

Detective Sergeant Jonathan Pearce, who is in his 40s, allegedly tried to enter a sexual relationship with the vulnerable young woman after they became friends on social media.

He sent her a topless photograph of his head and shoulders if he were "20 years younger" he would have asked her out, the tribunal heard.

DS Pearce is also accused of "serious failure" to secure evidence after he deleted messages from his phone.

The officer claims that his messages were "light-hearted banter, never anything serious" and that he was "just trying to make her feel better about herself".

He appeared before a disciplinary hearing at Kent Police HQ in Maidstone on Monday to admit misconduct but deny gross misconduct.

The panel heard that DS Pearce and the woman - identified only as Miss A - became friends online in September 2019 and started chatting.

The following month she told him she had been the victim of an attempted rape.

Miss A sent him screenshots of messages she had exchanged with the alleged attacker, including her saying "no means no".

Hours after telling Det Sgt Pearce about the incident, she said to him "you want me", the panel heard. He replied: "Maybe a little bit."

She also sent him a screenshot from a newspaper article about so-called sugar daddies.

David Mesling, bringing the allegations against Det Sgt Pearce on behalf of the police force, said: "You said that you didn't have that kind of money but asked what would you get."

DS Pearce insisted he was not asking her for a sexual favour but accepted it could be read as that.

Mr Mesling added: "Knowing or believing Miss A to be a vulnerable person you continued to attempt to enter into a sexual or emotional relationship with her."

Giving evidence, the officer said he wanted to "protect her and look after her" and did not want a romantic involvement.

He said: "We messaged and we talked and she felt more like my daughter as it went on. I didn't want a sexual relationship with her, I had a partner and children."

DS Pearce claimed he repeatedly tried to get Miss A to report the alleged attempted rape incident but she was adamant that she would not.

"I know I have let everyone down and I'm sorry," he said.

He also claimed that his deletion of the messages was "purely accidental" and that he meant to move them to an archive. “I deleted them because I was stupid and pressed the wrong button,” he said.

The hearing continues.

Additional reporting by Press Association