A former police officer used a volunteer training scheme as a "grooming playground" to exploit children and young adults.
Adnan Ali was found guilty by a jury of sexual offences and misconduct in a public office while running the volunteer scheme. The dad of one denied the offences but was convicted of five counts of sexual assault and 15 counts of misconduct following a trial at Liverpool Crown Court which concluded yesterday (April 24).
The charges related to incidents between 2015 and 2018 involving young men and women enrolled on Greater Manchester Police's (GMP) volunteer police cadet scheme. The court heard Ali, from Old Trafford, Manchester, was arrested and suspended in October 2018 after the force received a complaint he had behaved inappropriately towards a 16-year-old boy.
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A spokesperson for the force said electronic devices were seized following his arrest and thousands of sexualised messages, including an image of his penis, were sent to the young people he was trusted to look after. His victims reported he inappropriately touched or kissed them.
Ali was dismissed following a misconduct hearing in April 2022 and barred from policing when gross misconduct was found proved. The misconduct hearing was closed to the media so the criminal proceedings wouldn't be prejudiced. A spokesperson for GMP said the force would be making representations to the Deputy Mayor that Ali should be ordered to forfeit his pension.
GMP Assistant Chief Constable Colin McFarlane said: "Whilst Ali is responsible for committing these crimes, no one should be subjected to crime or misconduct during their contact with police officers and staff, like these young people were – for that, and in acknowledgement that Ali could have been better supervised and managed, we are sorry. My thanks go to the victims and witnesses who bravely supported the prosecution which secured today’s verdict.
"Though trials are a fundamental part of the criminal justice system, the impact they can have on those involved and with whom cases resonate is not underestimated. We will ensure they are supported for as long as they need. Alongside the criminal and misconduct investigations, this case initiated a full review of GMP’s Volunteer Police Cadet Scheme.
"With national oversight, improvements have been and are continuing to be implemented to ensure cadet leaders are the role models they are expected to be and that they do not pose a risk to anyone."
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) managed an investigation, carried out by GMP's Major Incident Team and supported by its Professional Standards Branch, following a mandatory referral in October 2018. The IOPC investigation found serious issues with the way the force supervised cadet leaders, including inconsistent training and lack of safeguarding knowledge.
A significant amount of learning was identified for the force and GMP has since made changes including to the vetting process; training for cadet leaders; banning social media contact between leaders and cadets; and the introduction of formal arrangements for senior leadership to have greater supervision of cadet groups.
IOPC Regional Director Catherine Bates said: "Ali’s disgraceful behaviour has had a significant impact on his victims and has absolutely no place in policing. He abused his position to exploit the young people who should have been safe in his care, and his complete refusal to take responsibility for his actions forced them to endure a lengthy and emotionally draining trial.
"His actions completely betray the trust placed in him by cadets and their families, as well as his colleagues who will be just as appalled by what he did. It is thanks to the bravery of all those who came forward that Ali’s offending has come to light and he has now been convicted.
"It is vital that those who experience or witness inappropriate behaviour by the police feel confident to report it and this case should send a clear message that those concerns will be taken seriously by us, by forces and by the courts.
"The investigation also highlighted serious failings in the way cadet schemes were being managed by GMP and we welcome a range of steps taken by the force since these offences were discovered to improve supervision of the officers entrusted with this level of responsibility."
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