Former PC jailed for targeting vulnerable women for sex

A former police officer has been jailed for having sex with a domestic violence victim while on duty.

James Stillman, 32, previously pleaded guilty to three counts of misconduct in a public office relating to two vulnerable women he "targeted for sex".

Bristol Crown Court heard on Friday Stillman, then an officer with Devon and Cornwall Police, had sex with one of the women last summer while carrying out a welfare check at her home.

Stillman, of Chard, Somerset, was sentenced to two years and four months in prison.

After it was reported to police, Stillman's phone was seized and it emerged he had also been texting a teenager asking her to "send pics" and telling her he wanted to have sex with her in the weeks prior.

Stillman, who was married with a young child at the time of the offending, was able to obtain her phone number as he was involved in a police investigation that concerned her and used this to try and arrange a meeting between them.

Brian Fitzherbert, prosecuting, said: "He asked (her) for nude pictures of herself and sent her pictures of his penis.

"Mr Stillman told (her) that he wanted to meet her on Saturday."

Fitzherbert told the court Stillman explicitly told her he wanted to have sex, and "that particular Saturday would be best because his wife and child were away."

The court heard the teenager made repeated excuses to avoid meeting with him and he later told her: "If you're getting too attached to me, this isn't a good idea."

The day after this message, he attended the house of the second woman, a victim of domestic violence, for a welfare check.

The court heard that, while at the home, he said: "I should be here to look at your injuries" before asking her for sex.

Fitzherbert said: "She felt scared, trapped and confused because Mr Stillman was a police officer and she couldn't understand why he was making this suggestion.

"Mr Stillman's persistence and his status as a police officer made her think he was not going to stop."

The court heard they had brief intercourse before Stillman left the home and the woman reported the incident to her domestic violence support worker.

In a victim impact statement, the woman said: "Since the incident... I have nightmares where I see him and what he did.

"The recurring thoughts of the incident make me feel sick.

"I lost all confidence and trust in the police.

"When you call the police, they are your last port of call, they are not there to hurt you."

Lee Bremridge, defending, said Stillman was of previous good character and suggested his unhappy marriage may offer "limited insight" into his offending.

Mr Bremridge added: "He accepts that what he did was wrong, that the two victims in this case were vulnerable and that he shouldn't have acted in the way he did.

"There is genuine remorse."

Judge William Hart said he regarded Stillman's offending as "predatory behaviour" in "complete dereliction of the trust and power" placed in him as a police officer.

He said: "The way you behaved was truly deplorable.

"You continued to seek to prey upon (the 16-year-old) and exploit her youth, treating her as someone who was simply available to meet your needs.

"You exploited (the second woman) for your own sexual gratification.

"It must have been, and in my judgment was, a demonstration of your own power and control.

"Any decent and professional police officer... would be sickened by your exploitation of (her)."

The offending related to his time as a Devon and Cornwall Police officer and he previously served as a special constable with Avon and Somerset Constabulary.

Devon and Cornwall Police said Stillman was arrested immediately when reports were made to police and was suspended from duty following his initial arrest.

He resigned from the force and was also subject to an Accelerated Misconduct Hearing, police added.

Assistant chief constable Glen Mayhew said: "Both victims have shown great courage in reporting these incidents to us so they could be fully investigated, and they have remained engaged throughout the judicial process.

"We expect all our officers and staff to maintain high levels of professional standards and behaviour and Stillman has shown a disregard for this expectation, which is totally unacceptable.

He added: "We remain committed to improving the service we provide to victims of violence against women and girls."

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