London police officer fired for sex with vulnerable woman
Metropolitan Police officer John Richmond had sex with the woman the day after she left hospital following a drug overdose - he was meant to be checking on her well-being
24 July 2009
A KILBURN-based police officer has been sacked for having sex with a vulnerable woman when he was supposed to be checking on her well-being.
The 45-year-old woman had discharged herself from hospital following a drug overdose the previous day when Detective Constable John Richmond, 53, visited her at her north London flat.
He visited the woman at about 9.30am on 9 December 2008, and had sex with her. When he returned he made a note on the computer system to say that the woman was safe.
But shortly after the brief liaison she reported the officer, who worked for the missing persons unit at Kilburn police station.
He was dismissed following an internal police misconduct hearing, a spokeswoman for the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) said.
Richmond was given a nine-month sentence, suspended for one year, for misconduct in public office at London's Southwark Crown Court earlier this month.
The officer, from Amersham, Buckinghamshire, was charged with misconduct in public office on December 9 last year following an independent investigation.
"John Richmond abused his authority and took advantage of a vulnerable woman"
Amerdeep Somal, of the IPCC, said: "John Richmond abused his authority and took advantage of a vulnerable woman while he was supposed to be checking on her welfare.
"I welcome the decision to dismiss him. The public have every right to expect to be dealt with professionally and properly at all times by the police and, when somebody behaves in such an unacceptable way, they do not deserve to continue to hold such a position of trust."
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