Officer's Two-Year Affair With Witness Revealed

A Northamptonshire Police officer, Anthony Lee, has been found guilty of gross misconduct following a two-year sexual relationship with a witness. Lee, who joined the force in February 2018, would have been dismissed had he not already resigned. His misconduct began when he asked a witness he met during a supermarket theft investigation to contact him on his personal phone.

Their communication escalated to flirtatious and sexual messages. The relationship progressed over two years, eventually leading to Lee requesting explicit photos. The disciplinary hearing, chaired by Chief Constable Ivan Balhatchet, concluded that Lee's actions were inappropriate given his professional role. The force stated he would have been dismissed without notice if he had not already resigned from his position.