Burbage child sex crime policeman is jailed
A POLICE officer from Burbage has been jailed for two years and nine months after admitting a child sex offence.
Balraj Paul, 30, was sentenced at Birmingham Crown Court on Thursday June 2 after pleading guilty to two charges - misconduct in a public office and making an indecent image of a child.
Paul was arrested on October 1 2015 after it was alleged he had formed an inappropriate relation- ship with a vulnerable female.
During this investigation, he was then arrested on suspicion of making an indecent image of a child. He was suspended from his role in Warwickshire Police as a patrol officer based at Bedworth on October 2 2015 and charged with both offences on March 24 this year.
Det Supt Gary Watson, head of professional standards for Warwickshire Police and West Mercia Police, said: “Balraj Paul has committed a serious criminal offence for which he has now been sentenced to a significant custodial sentence. His behaviour was appalling and represented a serious breach of the trust placed in him by a vulnerable female and the wider community of Warwickshire. As soon as his behaviour was suspected he was the subject of robust and proactive police action.
“This type of behaviour is very rare and I would like to reassure the community that we will take decisive action in such cases, and I would encourage anyone who has concerns about conduct of a similar nature to contact the Professional Standards Department.”
Following this sentencing, Paul’s role with the police will be subject to a special case misconduct hearing before Chief Constable Martin Jelley on June 10.