Police officer used power to bed abuse victim then told her he had chlamydia
A police officer took advantage of his power and work position to bed a vulnerable domestic abuse victim and then sent her money to buy STI tests after revealing he had chlamydia, a court heard.
PC Darren Coathup, 39, bedded the woman just days after completing a training course on sexual misconduct, during which he was also sending her "intimate" messages and pictures.
He later told his victim he had a sexually transmitted infection and asked her to take a test, posting money through her letterbox for it, a court heard.
The victim was the second woman Coathup had met through his work he formed a relationship with, the court heard.
Previously, he had also exchanged sexual messages, pictures and videos with another alleged crime victim who said he "preyed on her" after she reported her ex had assaulted her.
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Coathup arriving for sentence at Manchester Crown Court (STEVE ALLEN)
He was charged with misconduct (STEVE ALLEN)The former cop, who worked at Lancashire Police for 18 years, was charged with, and admitted, misconduct in a public office.
He appeared at Manchester Crown Court this week to be sentenced, reports the Manchester Evening News.
His crimes came to light after staff at Lancashire Police noticed unusual activity on his work mobile phone.
Judge Alan Conrad KC ignored pleas from his barrister to suspend his prison term, saying: "This is a case where appropriate punishment can only be achieved by the imposition of immediate custody."
Coathup, dressed in a navy suit, showed no visible emotion as he was led away.
Passing sentence, Judge Conrad told him: "Offences of this nature strike at public confidence in our police forces, a most important factor when public trust has been so seriously undermined.
"The vast majority of police officers carry out their duties conscientiously and with integrity. The likes of you who offend by way of misconduct in office do a great disservice to their colleagues and to the public.
"You received extensive training in respect of professional standards and extensive warnings against taking advantage of and forming liaisons with, people who you encountered through your work.
"Even during one training course on this very topic, your misconduct was continuing."
He said the "imbalance of power was stark in this case" and added that Coathup had "used" the women for "his own sexual gratification and vanity".
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The judge said: "They were vulnerable victims of domestic violence who looked to you for support and protection.
"You took advantage of your status and power in both cases, over a significant period of time. I have seen victim statements which show the women have lost their trust in the police as a result of your actions and feel used by you."
He added: "The defence point out these were consensual relationships. That is true, but if they weren't there would be other serious charges here."
Judge Conrad said he had taken into account "efforts to rebuild your life following the loss of your career and the breakdown of your marriage."
He was sentenced to two years in prison and will have to serve half before being eligible for release.
His crimes were uncovered after staff at Lancashire Police noticed unusual activity on his work mobile phone (STEVE ALLEN)The court previously heard that at the time of the offending Coathup was a response officer in Lancashire Police's Blackburn East Division.
The force said Coathup's victims had initially not come forward to complain and that his offending was uncovered following a "proactive" investigation by their anti-corruption unit (ACU).
It emerged that Coathup had met the first woman in the late spring of 2020 when she made a report that her ex-partner had assaulted her and Coathup was the attending officer.
After she described what had happened, Coathup said he would speak to her ex-partner and "warn him off", the court heard.
He then on to say he was "nothing special" and that she should "get herself on a dating website" and that she would have no problem "getting someone new", the court was told.
Several months later he messaged her "out of the blue" from his work mobile after the woman lodged a new complaint that the same ex-partner had been posting semi-nude pictures of her on a porn website.
The pair continued to exchange messages with the woman saying it was a "shame you're married and a copper" to which Coathup replied "don't knock a copper until you've tried one!", the court was told.
During a visit to her home, told her home he persuaded her to show him the leaked photos, telling her afterward: "I wish you could feel how hard I am. I wish I could handcuff you, the things I would do to you."
The woman said she "felt very embarrassed" and "laughed the comments off" but was "sure he would have had sex with her if she had initiated it", the court was told.
The pair continued to exchange messages including intimate photos and videos until the relationship fizzled out.
Coathup came into contact with a second woman, who in 2021 reported her ex-partner had breached his bail conditions.
Coathup attended to take her statement and offered to drop a security camera off for her, which he did in his personal car several days later.
The pair began messaging every day with Coathup using both his work and personal mobile. "The messages were largely sexual and clearly demonstrated the defendant taking advantage of his role as a police officer," the prosecution said.
One of the days messages were exchanged, including intimate photos, was a day when Coathup was taking part in an online training from home, which the court heard included training on sexual misconduct.
A "short time" after this the woman invited him to her house for coffee, and they twice had unprotected sex. After they slept together the contact "became more quiet" prosecutor Harriet Lavin said with the woman believing he had "got what he wanted".
In the summer of 2021 he messaged her and "said he had tested positive for chlamydia and wanted the complainant to take a test" and posted £70 through her door in order for her to do so, the court heard.
The woman, who said she was in a "bad place" after coming out of an "abusive relationship" said feeling "used and dirty".
Following his arrest, Coathup was immediately suspended from duty. And after pleading guilty to the offences last December he resigned from the force.
However an accelerated misconduct hearing was held following which the Chief Constable ruled that had he still been a serving officer, Coathup would have been dismissed. He has subsequently been added to the Barred List.
The force said cases like Coathup's were "extremely rare" but that they were committed to rooting out any officer abusing their position.
Detective Inspector Eugene Swift from the ACU said: "We are committed to upholding the highest possible standards in policing and those who fall foul of those standards will be proactively identified and dealt with – as was demonstrated in this case.
"This is not a case where the victims came forward and made a complaint to us – at that time, they may not have even realised what Darren Coathup had done was a crime.
"The ACU's proactive, covert tactics identified Darren Coathup may pose a risk to vulnerable women. Our ACU Detectives immediately launched an investigation which has resulted in his conviction and subsequent imprisonment.
"Darren Coathup deliberately targeted vulnerable crime victims for his own sexual purposes. I know his behaviour will appall serving officers up and down the country.
"We are committed to protecting and safeguarding women and girls from harm and where it is clearly demonstrated a criminal offence has taken place, we will work robustly with the Crown Prosecution Service to prosecute the offenders.
"All our officers and staff are given training in what constitutes Abuse of Position for Sexual Purpose and sexual misconduct, so they fully understand what constitutes an inappropriate relationship. Despite being fully aware of this, Darren Coathup acted criminally anyway.
"Although offences like this are extremely rare, for Lancashire Constabulary, one is one too many and detracts from the hard work and commitment to protecting the public that our police officers and staff demonstrate during every minute of every day."
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