‘Deplorable’ - Police officer who had sex with quartet of abuse victims sentenced to jail

A Merseyside Police officer who was found guilty of misconduct after having sex with a quartet of abuse victims has been jailed for four years. PC Adam Hoyle will serve half of his sentence in prison after being convicted of having sex on duty with vulnerable women, who were all victims of domestic abuse.

“His behaviour, in repeatedly abusing his position of trust with victims of crimes, was deplorable,” said temporary Detective Chief Superintendent Mark Baker after Hoyle was sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court.

Hoyle, 39, admitted two misconduct offences involving sexual activity with two women but denied two further misconduct charges involving similar behaviour with two other women at a court hearing last month. But a jury unanimously found him guilty of those offences as well as two of unauthorised access to police computer data.

During his four day trial the court heard that the case followed an investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct into his actions. Investigations began after concerns were raised by his then-partner in respect of his sexual relationships.

Steven Swift, prosecuting, said “The defendant chose to deliberately established sexual relationships and inappropriate contact with victims of domestic abuse and sexual abuse within a domestic context that he encountered while they were looking to the police for support. He took advantage of his position to befriend and consequently thereafter to engage in sexual activity with them.”

The jury heard that Hoyle sometimes even arranged to meet one of them at a police station where instead of taking any details from her he kissed and groped her. The other relationship which he denied involved him regularly calling at the woman’s home and their activity developed from kissing to having sex with him “every few days” over about three months. He also sometimes even stayed overnight.

The offences he admitted involved regularly having sex while on duty with another vulnerable victim of crime and kissing and engaging in sexual activity with the fourth woman.

Hoyle, of Yelverton Close, Halewood, resigned from the force and was formally dismissed on Thursday following the completion of a misconduct hearing. At Liverpool Crown Cout on Friday, was sentenced to four years.

DCS Baker, head of Merseyside Police’s Professional Standards Department, said: “It is right that as a force we identify anyone who thinks it is acceptable to behave in such a manner and do everything within our powers to remove them.

“Our officers and staff work hard every day to build the trust of our communities so it is vital that they see the robust stance that we will take. I hope that people will take some reassurance from the fact that this officer has been identified and held accountable for his actions.”