A Wiltshire policeman who formed an improper relationship with a woman would have been sacked from the force had he not already resigned.

Gavin Cox - a former special constable - was found to have breached the standards of professional behaviour for police officers at a one-day hearing held at Wiltshire Police Headquarters on April 2.

Cox faced four allegations, which were all upheld.

He was judged to have formed an improper emotional relationship with a woman.

He failed to record contact and interactions between himself and that woman and failed to record contact and interactions relating to potential domestic violence and criminal offences on and around May 19 and 20, 2022. 

He also undertook improper searches and access to police-held data regarding that woman. 

Police said he would have been dismissed for gross misconduct if he had not already resigned and left the force.

Chief Constable Catherine Roper said: “Mr Cox’s actions will no doubt weaken the trust and confidence that our community has in us as their police force, and this is exactly why we are committed to rooting out individuals like this whose behaviour falls well below the standard we would expect of a member of Wiltshire Police, whether employed or a volunteer.

“I would like to stress that there is no place in our organisation for anyone who conducts themselves in this manner."

In December, the Force launched a new Safe2Say Anonymous Reporting System.