A 48-year-old police officer who had a intimate relationship with a vulnerable rape victim has been sentenced to three years in prison

A police officer who had a sexual contact with a vulnerable rape victim and afterwards used his influence to avoid a police warrant at her house was sentenced to three years in prison today.

Simon Rose, 48, was a respected officer with Greater Manchester Police for five years when he began an illicit connection with the lady in May 2012 while investigating her case.

Their relationship lasted seven years until October 2019, when her name was brought up in connection with a search request at her residence, according to prosecutor Vanessa Thomson at Liverpool Crown Court.

They abandoned the warrant after ordering colleagues to disregard any evidence discovered at the flat, but the lady was interrogated, bringing the affair to light.

Rose, of Parbold, Lancashire, was found guilty in January of misconduct in public office and trying to pervert the course of justice following a nine-day trial.

Judge David Swannerton sentenced him today, saying, ‘You took advantage of a vulnerable victim by creating a sexual connection with her.’

‘You have violated not just the confidence of your immediate coworkers, who viewed you as a friend, but also the faith that the public expects and is right to have in police officers.

‘Police officers behaving way you did harm faith in the whole police force, which is detrimental to every single police officer and society as a whole,’ he continued.

According to Miss Thomson, Rose was assigned to the GMP Salford division and was a “well respected, outgoing police officer.”

He encountered the lady while working as a highly trained officer dealing with complaints of rape and sexual assault. She claimed she was raped at knifepoint after being dragged away in a vehicle by two guys, but the case was dropped.

Rose was posted at Swinton Police Station by 2019, according to Miss Thomson, and his duties included executing search warrants. One of the addresses was the woman’s house, however there was no indication she was involved in illegal activity.

On October 3, 2019, he proceeded to execute the warrant with two coworkers, and while on the way, he acknowledged he was friendly with the woman.

As they drew closer, he expressed concern that anything might be retrieved from her home and he would be fired.

He got increasingly concerned and instructed his colleagues to disregard whatever evidence they discovered, and as a result, they abandoned executing the warrant that day.

Although Rose argued that he did not think there was a handgun on the premises, Judge Swinnerton stated that he concluded Rose’s true purpose was to conceal his “own terrible secret.”

In cross-examination, Rose eventually agreed that having a sexual or emotional relationship with such a victim was completely improper.

‘But knowing that, it is precisely the type of connection you went into,’ added the judge, pointing out that Rose had carried out the covert relationship behind the backs of his spouse and coworkers.

When his behaviour was revealed and the lady was interrogated, she revealed that their connection turned sexual a few months after their first encounter and that they had sex three or four times.