PCSO sacked and banned from leaving home at night after sending sexual messages to women who reported crimes

Julian Randall-Stratton, 45, targeted victims as young as 17

The PCSO (not pictured) had been serving with Hertfordshire Constabulary since 2012 (Getty)

A Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) has been sacked for targeting female crime victims with sexual messages.

Julian Randall-Stratton was found guilty of misconduct in public office after investigators discovered he was obtaining the contact details of women and girls after they reported offences.

The 45-year-old was handed a suspended six-month prison sentence and a night-time curfew, which bans him from leaving home between 7pm and 7am, at Luton Crown Court on Thursday.

“Between January 2017 and April 2018, he made inappropriate contact with women he met through his work in Dacorum,” a spokesperson for Hertfordshire Constabulary said.

“In some cases, he obtained the women’s details and made contact with them after they reported a crime. He proceeded to send flirtatious messages and photographs to them via WhatsApp and social media platforms.

“He also gave some of the victims’ lifts, got them to try on his uniform, took photographs of them and on one occasion insisted on buying two of them breakfast.”

The court heard how four victims, including a 17-year-old girl, were uncomfortable with Randall-Stratton’s behaviour but did not feel they could challenge it.

The first victim contacted police in March 2018 and Randall-Stratton, of Hemel Hempstead, was arrested and placed on restricted duties as an investigation was launched.

It found that inappropriate contact had been made with more victims, some of whom were vulnerable, and he was suspended from duty before being dismissed at a misconduct hearing on 20 August.

Randall-Stratton was part of Hertfordshire Constabulary's safer neighbourhood teams between 2012 and 2018, and had previously served as a PCSO in Wiltshire since 2007.

Hertfordshire Constabulary's deputy chief constable Michelle Dunn said: “I would like to first pay tribute to the victims, who have shown courage and dignity throughout this case. I want to reassure the public that we will not tolerate any abuse of authority.

“We know the vast majority of our officers and staff display exemplary standards of conduct while both on and off duty. They are utterly dismayed by the actions of their former colleague whose conduct has damaged public trust and confidence.

“Julian Randall-Stratton’s behaviour has greatly undermined the vitally important work carried out by our police officers and staff every single day. He has no place within Hertfordshire Constabulary.”

The case came after a West Midlands Police officer admitted attempting to groom a 12-year-old girl.

Last month, a Merseyside Police officer was jailed for stopping women for speeding and then using official records to target them for sex.