Female Met police officer jailed after having sex with rape victim in McDonald’s toilet
PC Charlotte Peters, 33, started an affair with a vulnerable woman who had been raped by a stranger in February this year
A FEMALE police officer has been jailed for 22 months after having sex with a rape victim in a McDonald's toilets.
PC Charlotte Peters, 33, started an affair with a vulnerable woman who had been raped by a stranger in February this year.
The cop, who was assigned as the victim's liaison officer, met with the woman for sex four times in less than a month.
PC Peters, who worked with the Met's Sexual Offences, Exploitation and Child Abuse Command, first kissed the victim while taking her fingerprints.
Their affair was exposed in March, when the victim told staff at the home she was staying in she was "tired of being [PC Peters'] dirty little secret".
Southwark Crown Court heard the victim did not believe Peters would leave her girlfriend and was hospitalised after slashing her wrists during the fall-out.
The officer demanded the woman delete texts between the pair after realising news of their affair would reach her boss, threatening to commit suicide if the victim did not comply.
Judge Anthony Leonard QC said the fallout "truly underlined how inappropriate it was to start a relationship with someone so vulnerable".
He added: ";It beggars belief someone who seems to be so admired by other officers allowed yourself to do so."
The judge said Peters was "there to support her, not to cause her further distress and difficulties".
Prosecutor Kate Bex said the Sexual Offences Investigative Techniques officer would "be expected to recognise vulnerability" in her job and was in a position of trust".
She said: "The first sexual contact was a kiss, and followed a couple of days later by consensual intercourse at the victim's grandfather's home address when Ms Peters arranged to meet her to sign a fingerprint form.
"Ms Peters was at work when she attended to see the victim in order to have her sign the form, they had sexual intercourse, she went back to work and met the victim later in Whitechapel when off duty."
Peters stayed silent in her first interview, but when quizzed again she issued a prepared statement admitting the affair.
Kevin Baumber, defending, said the PC would not challenge misconduct proceedings and lose her job as a result.
He said the effect on her personal and work life is "tragic" and urged the judge to suspend the prison sentence.
Peters, of Luton, Bedfordshire, pleaded guilty to one count of misconduct in a public office.
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