A FORMER Essex Police officer has been sentenced having been convicted of misconduct in a public office.
Former PC David Wren, 57, of Feering admitted having an inappropriate relationship with a victim of crime at Ipswich Crown Court on Friday 12 December.
The case was investigated by the Independent Office for Police Conduct after we made a referral to them in October 2022.
The referral was the result of positive action by Essex Police in identifying that Wren had been in an inappropriate a relationship with a victim of crime between October 2021 and November 2022.
He was arrested on 29 November 2022 and then charged in October last year.
Due to the nature of the case the IOPC led the investigation and brought the case to the Crown Prosecution Service.
At the same court on Thursday 26 March he was given a two year custodial sentence, suspended for 18 months.
We held an accelerated misconduct hearing at the earliest possible opportunity, on Tuesday 3 February, where Chief Constable Ben-Julian Harrington determined he would have been dismissed if he had still been serving.
Reporting restrictions were initially applied to ensure not to prejudice the ongoing criminal matters and to protect the identity of the victim.
Chief Constable Ben-Julian Harrington said: “David Wren’s behaviour was unacceptable. He has received a sentence by the courts and been dismissed from policing.
“His behaviour undermines the diligent and professional work of thousands of Essex Police Officers and Staff who every day protect and support victims of crime to get justice.
“The people of Essex can have confidence in their force and should know that we do everything we can to bring those who breach that trust to justice and exit them from the force”.
