An ex-police officer who “abused his power” and “broke public trust” by pursuing women for sex after meeting them in the course of his duties has been jailed. Oliver Perry-Smith, who was based at Newbury police station with Thames Valley police, has been described as a “sexual predator” who targeted women in vulnerable positions.
The police watchdog, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), began an investigation in November 2019 and found Perry-Smith had a case to answer for gross misconduct. He resigned from Thames Valley police on February 8 this year.
On Friday at Reading Crown Court he was sentenced to three years and six months in prison, the IOPC said. His sentencing came after he pleaded guilty to three charges of misconduct in public office, and two charges of unauthorised access to computer material, contrary to the Computer Misuse Act 1990.
