WPC ruined by affair with a robber
A MARRIED policewoman was assigned to help a convicted robber stop his life of crime.
Instead, PC Dawn Pelling began an affair with David Champion and helped him dodge a curfew scheme so they could go away together for weekends.
Yesterday, the 30-year- old officer’s career was over after she confessed to a four-month relationship with the repeat offender.
She claimed it began on the understanding that ‘there is power in redemption’ and that Champion might change his criminal ways. Her own relationship with her husband was also in difficulties.
At Manchester Crown Court, Pelling, from Denton, admitted misconduct in a public office and was given a three-month jail term suspended for 18 months. She has already quit her £20,000-a-year job with the Greater Manchester force.
Mark Ainsworth, prosecuting, said Pelling was working with probation officers at a scheme in Stockport which tries to help prolific offenders give up crime.
Champion had a string of convictions dating back to 1988 including robbery, assault, burglary and causing grievous bodily harm. Pelling was assigned as his designated officer in October 2004 when Champion was arrested for theft and he was placed on the scheme for 12 months and given a 11pm-7am curfew when he had to remain at home in Marple, Cheshire.
In January 2005, Champion should have been at home under the curfew but falsely claimed he had to attend a family party in Wrexham so he could go away with Pelling for a weekend in Northumberland and the Lake District.
The following month, at a meeting of the STOP scheme staff, Pelling falsely said Champion had got a building job. He was then arrested over a burglary matter.
‘ It transpired there had been 14 breaches of his curfew – some by a couple of minutes, some longer,’ added Mr Ainsworth. ‘Dawn Pelling was aware of what was going on and nothing was done.’
Tim Storrie, defending, said: ‘By any measure, her involvement in this offence constitutes a spectacular fall from grace.
‘ She was a serving police officer for seven years, and was the kind of woman who served her community to the high regard of her fellow officers. These proceedings have been extremely chastening for her. She has seen her career disappear and does not know what the future will bring.’
Champion was jailed for eight months after he admitted perverting the course of justice. His counsel Amanda Johnson said: ‘ He formed a relationship with Dawn Pelling and was very much in love with her. It was a relationship he felt was helping him enormously.’
Passing sentence, Judge Timothy Mort told Pelling: ‘ You crossed a boundary which would be regarded as unthinkable. As a police officer, your integrity was in danger of being undermined.
‘I accept that the relationship was entirely genuine, and there was considerable depth of feeling on both sides. But you were living a lie.’