Two more Greater Manchester Police (GMP) officers have resigned after an internal investigation uncovered a group of officers contacting sex workers. Sergeant Liam Smith and another officer, referred to as 'Former Officer A', left the force ahead of separate disciplinary hearings that found them guilty of gross misconduct over contact with adult sex workers for no policing purpose.
The two officers are the latest among the ten who have left the force for contacting sex workers without a legitimate policing purpose. GMP's Anti-Corruption Unit investigation was launched following the case of Inspector Toby Knight, who scheduled hundreds of meetings with sex workers on his force-issued phone, including some while he was on duty.
Sergeant's Contacts Detailed
Sgt Smith made a series of contacts with sex workers while he was on and off duty. While off duty, he used his work mobile to contact an adult sex worker on three occasions on August 3, 2024. A disciplinary hearing was told that he made two voice calls and then sent a text.
Weeks later, on September 25, 2024, he used his police device to call another number attributed to an adult sex worker while on duty just before midnight. He also used his GMP mobile to research six numbers of sex workers despite there being 'no policing purpose', it was said.
Hearing Outcomes and Barred List
Sgt Smith did not attend the hearing and did not respond to the allegations, which were found to be 'proven', according to Assistant Chief Officer Catherine Hankinson, who chaired the disciplinary hearing. She found him guilty of gross misconduct and said his behaviour was "most likely for sexual gratification". The senior officer said Sgt Smith "should have known that what he was doing was wrong and improper" and concluded the officer would have been sacked had he not already quit.
Sgt Smith's name has now been added to the College of Policing's 'barred list', meaning he cannot return to any role in policing.
Second Officer's Case
In a separate disciplinary hearing, 'Former Officer A' was also found guilty of gross misconduct for contact with sex workers. No reason was provided for anonymising the officer's identity or failing to state his rank. That officer also failed to attend the hearing and did not respond to the allegations that he used his police mobile 12 times to make contact with five numbers attributed to adult sex workers between June 11, 2019 and June 28, 2022 while off duty. The numbers appeared on ads for sex workers, and all allegations were found to be 'proven'.
Chief Constable Sir Stephen Watson, who chaired the hearing, said: "It is well known, particularly amongst experienced police officers, that adult sex workers are frequently vulnerable people with complex needs who are often exploited by criminal third parties."
He added: "That the former officer wilfully engaged in such contact, ran the obvious risk of perpetuating the vulnerability of their contacts. Self-evidently, the police are here to safeguard vulnerable people not to add to the misery of their existence."
