Woman cites cop sexting

A Northland woman feels let down by police after an officer allegedly sent her explicit texts.

The messages include repeated suggestions that she have sex with him. The woman, in her early 20s, insists she never gave the Whangarei officer any reason to think she may be interested.

His messages began following an incident in June 2016 – the woman was a witness, and he was one of the responding officers.

She said she gave her name and number, and the officer called several times to make sure she was OK.

’’Then weeks later he started texting me, which I thought was weird, but then the messages got creepy,’’ she said.

Fairfax NZ has chosen not to publish any details that would identify either of them.

The woman said she initially ignored his texts, but when they didn’t stop she tried to make it clear she wasn’t interested.

‘‘I should have said something sooner but I’m finding your texts a bit awkward and don’t really know what to say to you,’’ she messaged. ‘‘Can you please stop texting me.’’

The woman is adamant she never led the officer on.

‘‘I have never been alone with him,’’ she said.

’’I have never had any contact that he could have misunderstood.

‘‘I was too scared to complain [because] Whangarei police have such a bad reputation for harassment of people who complain,’’ she said.

The officer reacted angrily following chatter among his police colleagues.

‘‘This will look really bad for you,’’ he messaged. ‘‘Leading a cop on who’s just trying to help you.’’

Superintendent Russell Le Prou, Northland district commander, said: ‘‘Allegations of this nature are extremely serious and naturally police want to launch an investigation.

‘‘We have offered to send an independent female investigator from out of district to investigate the allegations.’’

However, the woman said that when she contacted senior police professional conduct manager Inspector Donna Laban initially, there was no promise of an external investigation.

Police are unable to investigate as the woman has refused to provide the officer’s name.

Victim advocate Louise Nicholas said she hoped the woman would make an official complaint, for the sake of other potential victims.