A FORMER Dyfed Powys Police special police officer has been barred from ever re-entering the police force after sending text messages to a teenager on the same night he’d interviewed her for breaching coronavirus restrictions.

Special Police Sergeant (SPS) Jack Brennan issued a Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN) to a 19-year-old woman – referred to as Ms A – on June 4 last year for breaching Covid-19 restrictions. A Dyfed Powys Police misconduct hearing panel heard earlier this week that 24-year-old Mr Brennan was on duty with other officers in Carmarthen on the evening in question and they came across a group of cars parked near a gym. Mr Brennan and a colleague spoke to two females in one of the cars and, after talking to Ms A for around 30 minutes, he issued her with an FPN.

Just 90 minutes later, after obtaining the woman’s mobile phone number from the notice, he sent her a series of texts asking her to go for ‘a coffee or something’ once restrictions were lifted and asked her if she was single. The woman later reported the officer’s behaviour to police.

The panel concluded on Thursday, April 8, that the actions of the former officer amounted to gross misconduct and that he would have been dismissed had he not resigned before the hearing took place.

Stephen Morley, Dyfed Powys Police's legal representative, told the panel: “He said to Ms A that he was Jack – the better looking of the two officers – he said that was a joke.”

When Ms A said she didn't mind that he was texting her, Mr Brennan immediately sent a text asking if she was single.

Mr Morley said Ms A then asked how he had got her phone number, to which Mr Brennan replied: “The ticket, a little naughty of me I know, sorry.” He later added: “You seemed nice and I thought I would try my luck.”

Mr Brennan then texted Ms A his Snapchat name. She asked if he had broken the law by obtaining her phone number from the penalty notice, to which he replied: “Nah it's fine, why?”. Mr Morley said she did not respond after that.

She reported the incident, which was investigated by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).

Mr Brennan resigned from the force in August 2020 while under investigation. He faced three breaches of standards of professional behaviour, two of which he admitted to. But he denied breaching honesty and integrity and/or discreditable conduct, and also felt his actions amounted to misconduct rather than gross misconduct.

A statement released by Dyfed Powys Police said: “The member of the public later reported this to police as she felt uncomfortable with Mr Brennan’s behaviour.

“In obtaining personal information about a member of the public and attempting to initiate a relationship with someone he has met in the course of his duty Mr Brennan abused his position as a police officer and risked undermining public confidence in policing.

“On becoming aware of the matter, the Professional Standards Department immediately made a referral to the IOPC who decided to undertake an independent investigation.

“A misconduct hearing panel determined that Mr Brennan’s behaviour had breached the standards of professional behaviour relating to honesty and integrity, authority respect and courtesy, confidentiality and discreditable conduct, and that it amounted to gross misconduct. As a consequence, the panel determined that had Mr Brennan still been a serving special constable, he would have been dismissed from the service.

“Mr Brennan will now be added to the College of Policing Barred List to prevent him from ever re-entering the police service.”

Temporary Dyfed Powys Chief Constable Claire Parmenter said: “Dyfed Powys Police expects the highest standards from all of its officers and staff and wants to ensure that members of the public can have complete trust and confidence in the force.

“Where the conduct of officers and staff falls below these high standards, the public can be reassured that positive action will always be taken by the force.”

IOPC director for Wales, Catrin Evans, said: “We found there was evidence the then special sergeant had made efforts to instigate an improper personal relationship with the young woman only a matter of minutes after having professional contact with her.

“She reported that she felt uncomfortable and intimidated by his unprofessional actions.

“The police service’s Code of Ethics makes clear that officers should not pursue an improper emotional relationship with a person they come into contact with in the course of their work, who may be vulnerable to an abuse of trust or power. Such conduct has the potential to seriously undermine the confidence of the public in policing.

“The police disciplinary panel has found the officer breached professional standards and imposed a sanction of dismissal had he still been serving. The public have a right to expect that police officers maintain the highest standards of integrity and professionalism.”