A former special constable has been barred from working in the police for life after he sent a 14-year-old girl he met during a patrol a topless photo of himself on Snapchat.
Michael Wallace, 30, was placed on a policing 'barred list' following an internal gross misconduct hearing at Greater Manchester Police on Monday, the police watchdog announced today (Wednesday).
He resigned as a special constable ahead of the hearing. Special constables are volunteers who agree to work for the police in their spare time.
The sanction follows an investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), the police watchdog.
The investigation began in February 2018 following a complaint from the girl’s father, who reported that Mr Wallace sent Snapchat messages to his daughter after encountering her and a group of friends while on an anti-social behaviour patrol in Wigan.
The watchdog found Mr Wallace had sent three messages to the girl on Snapchat, including an inappropriate picture message.
The girl told her father, who reported the matter to GMP. GMP then referred the matter to the watchdog.
The IOPC sent its report to the Crown Prosecution Service which decided not to charge Mr Wallace with any criminal offence.
However, GMP mounted 'gross misconduct' disciplinary proceedings although Mr Wallace resigned before the hearing.
The force's disciplinary panel found that the allegations were proven and that standards of professional behaviour for honesty and integrity, authority, respect and courtesy and discreditable conduct had been breached and amounted to 'gross misconduct', according to the IOPC.
He would have been dismissed had he not already resigned, the panel decided.
The disciplinary panel made an order for the former special constable to be placed on the police 'barred list' for life.
IOPC Regional Director Amanda Rowe said: "Mr Wallace’s actions were totally unacceptable and a direct breach of standards of professional behaviour. Mr Wallace made inappropriate contact with a 14-year-old girl he had met during the course of his duties, which included sending her a topless photo of him in bed.
"Mr Wallace has now been placed on the police barred list, which will prevent him from joining policing forces and policing bodies like HMICFRS, OPCCs and the IOPC for life. The ruling shows his actions have absolutely no place in policing."
