An ex-police officer has been jailed after trying to meet a child for sex at a KFC in Nottinghamshire. Former Northamptonshire officer Alex Foster had been engaging in "highly sexual online conversations and exchanges of images" with someone he believed was a 15-year-old girl.
However, the 43-year-old was in fact talking to an undercover officer. The messages between the two began on July 27 this year.
It culminated in Foster being arrested by awaiting officers in the car park of Newark KFC on August 10. His mobile phone was seized, reports Northamptonshire Live.
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Foster, formerly of Tilbury Road, East Haddon, Northamptonshire, had been in a police safety training instructor role since 2013. He had also served in the Special Constabulary, rising to the post of inspector before resigning in 2021.
He was jailed at Lincoln Crown Court for two years for attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child. He was also handed concurrent six-month sentences for intentionally encouraging or assisting the commission of an offence, and arranging or facilitating the commission of a child sex offence.
Foster admitted all three offences at a hearing in September and was sentenced on Thursday, November 17. Jailing him, Recorder James House KC told the defendant he was in a position of trust and his offences were bound to impact public perception.
He added: “You knew perfectly well that communicating with a 15-year-old girl was not only wrong but unlawful.” Foster was also handed a 10-year sexual harm prevention order and placed on the sex offenders’ register, in addition to resigning from the force last month - the day before a gross misconduct hearing arranged by Northamptonshire Police.
Speaking after the sentence, Detective Inspector Kim Jackson, from the force’s counter-corruption team, said: “We are pleased with the outcome which reflects the gravity of these appalling offences and follows an investigation by the team which, ultimately, uncovered someone who was seeking to have sexual relations with a child. The sentence reflects the seriousness of these offences and demonstrates how this force will stop at nothing to root out police officers and staff whose conduct falls below the line or, as in this case, is wholly criminal.”
Foster’s conviction followed an operation by Northamptonshire Police’s counter-corruption team under the direction of the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC). IOPC director of major investigations, Steve Noonan, said: “Mr Foster’s actions were abhorrent in sexually communicating online with a person he believed to be a child and then arranging and travelling to meet them for sexual purposes.
"He has rightly received a prison sentence for his appalling behaviour. We directed the investigation by Northamptonshire Police’s counter-corruption unit and I am grateful to their officers for their professionalism in helping to bring this offender to justice.”
Foster will also be added to the College of Policing barred list. This prevents future employment with the police service.
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