Police officer targeted crime victims for sex
A DISGRACED officer who used police systems to research local sex workers and sought out sexual relationships with victims has been jailed.
Married Palvinder Singh, who worked at Smethwick Police Station, has been sentenced to a total of 14 months in prison after he pleaded guilty to five counts of the improper exercise of police powers and privileges when he appeared at court on Wednesday, July 10.
Birmingham Crown Court heard that the 39-year-old spent a significant amount of his time on duty using his police issued mobile phone to build sexual relationships with four women.
Singh, of 80 Burns Road, Wednesbury, badgered victims about bondage and threesomes, contacted escorts on his police phone and had sexual relations with victims of crime in his family home while his wife of 16 years was away.
Judge Roderick Henderson said Singh will serve half of his term on licence and pay a victim surcharge, adding: “Over a five month period you went off the rails.
“We give our police officers power. Not just great power, but influence. We need to be able to trust them.”
The court heard Singh, previously given bravery awards, had sent naked photographs of himself, taken in police locker rooms, to a revenge porn victim.
Singh made contact with the women – who were all victims – after being assigned the cases.
Singh’s behaviour eventually led to him engaging in sexual activity with two of four women he targeted.
Birmingham Crown Court also heard that Singh had also used the police systems to research local sex workers, with the intention of meeting them to engage in sexual activity.
Giovanni D’Alessandro from the CPS said: “As a police officer, Singh had a responsibility to uphold the law and protect victims of crime.
“Instead he took advantage of his position and targeted female victims of suspected crime, who assigned to assist, for sexual gratification.
“Singh knew very well that his actions were completely
the he was his own improper. He had received regular training on the authorised use of his police mobile device and on the use of the police systems. He would have been fully aware that his behaviour was not permitted. In addition he was fully aware of the duties he had to the victims of suspected crime and the rules against using his position as a police officer for a sexual purpose.
“The public expect the police to act with integrity at all times. In the rare instances where officers fall below the high standards expected of them it is right that they receive sentences which both punish and deter others from exercising their powers improperly.”