A female police officer who was assigned to protect a rape victim has pleaded guilty to a charge of misconduct in public office.
PC Charlotte Peters is an officer in the Metropolitan Police’s Sexual Offences Exploitation and Child Abuse Command. The 33-year-old was trained to deal with the “emotional impact” of sexual assault and had been assigned to look after a victim identified only as “V”.
A consensual relationship began between Peters and the young woman after Peters initiated a kiss.
At a trial in Southwark Crown Court, prosecuting Kate Bex made it clear that V found Peters attractive and encouraged the relationship.
According to The Independent, sexual intercourse took place at the victim’s grandfather’s house when Peters was on duty, and again in the lavatories at McDonald’s.
When V realized Peters would not leave her girlfriend, she told staff at a women’s refuge that she had ended the affair.
“To use her own words, she was tired of being her dirty little secret,” Bex told the courts.
When asked if she felt like Peters had taken advantage of her, V replied no and said:
“It was just two people who fell for each other in bad circumstances.”
Judge Anthony Leonard however claimed the relationship was inappropriate.
Metropolitan Police Temporary Deputy Assistant Commissioner, Richard Martin, said the affair was damaging to the reputation of the police force.
“The public and the Met expect police officers to behave with the utmost professionalism. It was PC Peters’ job to protect those she was entrusted to help. She clearly abused her position by starting a relationship with the person she was there to support, when that person was at their most vulnerable.”
He continued to say the behavior was unacceptable and that Peters must be held accountable for her actions.
