A Bedfordshire police officer, in the United Kingdom, was sentenced last Friday, February 21 to 18 months in prison after deactivating a thief’s electronic bracelet to have a secret sex with him, as reported by the British television channel .
Police chief Trevor Rodenhurst declared that agent Natasha Conneely was part of a team responsible for managing the risk of criminals “through labeling and other means to dissuade recidivism and help their successful reintegration into society.”
The police declared himself guilty of the positions of corruption and abuse of police power in his trial in the Court of St Albans. Natasha Conneely has also been included in the list of people who are prohibited from working in the police force.
Conneely’s secret relationship with the thief was discovered in May 2023, one month after the police deactivated the electronic bracelet of the latter to be able to go to his home without being tracked.
“Getting involved in a sexual relationship with a criminal like that was completely inappropriate and their actions by allowing them to spend time together without being detected were completely selfish and had a real potential to leave the free offender to commit more crimes without any protection,” said the head of police.
Conneely resigned from his position in November 2023. The Bedfordshire Police says they would have fired her if she had not resigned herself. “There is simply no place in the police force for someone who behaves in this way,” Rodenhurst concluded.
