Greater Manchester Police officer sacked for ‘improper relationship’ with woman

A police officer has been sacked for having an ‘improper relationship’ with a woman.

Paul Banks of Greater Manchester Police (GMP), met the woman whilst policing and told her to create an email account from where he accessed explicit videos and pictures she uploaded.

He clicked on the images more than 200 times and did not disclose them to his colleagues who then reported him to the force’s Professional Standards Branch.

Though Banks has been on restricted duties since the investigation began in December 2020, he was sacked without notice in January 2023 following a Gross Misconduct Meeting.

Detective Chief Superintendent Michael Allen, head of GMP’s Professional Standards Branch, said Banks had "abused his position of trust" and that there was no place in GMP for people like him. 

He said: "By cultivating an improper relationship with a vulnerable member of the public who he met in the course of his policing duties, the officer has been deservedly sacked from GMP. 

“Not only has he disgraced himself, but his depraved behaviour dishonours policing and undermines the principled endeavours of his colleagues, who everyday do a valiant job catching criminals and protecting our communities.

"No decent member of the police service wants to work with the likes of Banks and there will never be a place in GMP for anybody who behaves like him. He abused his position of trust and for that the Office of Constable has been rightly stripped from him."