Ex-officer admits relationship with crime victim

A former police officer has pleaded guilty to misconduct in a public office after admitting having a seven-year sexual relationship with a victim of crime.

Christopher Cave met the victim while working for Nottinghamshire Police in 2004, but the relationship did not come to light until 2022 when he was working for South Yorkshire Police.

The 61-year-old, from Formby, in Liverpool, pleaded guilty to two counts at a hearing at Sheffield Crown Court and will be sentenced on 29 June.

Det Con Nicola Milner, from South Yorkshire Police, said: "Being a police officer is a privileged role and comes with a great deal of responsibility. This is something Cave clearly abused and fell short of."

She added: "His conduct over several years falls far below what is expected from our workforce and does not reflect our values of policing.

"We are committed to being open and transparent about our officers' conduct and the victim in this case remains at the forefront of our minds. We now await sentencing in June."

The court heard Cave worked as an officer in South Yorkshire between 2010 and 2017 before returning to the force as a civilian.

At the time the allegations were made in 2022, he was employed as an evidence review officer as part of a retirement scheme available to people who have accumulated more than 30 years of police work.

Following his arrest he resigned from the force in December 2023.

However South Yorkshire Police said an internal misconduct process would still go ahead.

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