Former police officer from Bamber Bridge jailed after targeting vulnerable victims for sexual purposes

A former police officer from Bamber Bridge who abused his position for a sexual purpose has been jailed.

In July 2021, the Lancashire Police Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) launched an investigation into the activities of Darren Coathup, who was at the time working as a response constable in East Division.

Detectives from the ACU identified that Coathup posed a risk to a vulnerable female victim of crime and arrested him. He was immediately suspended from duty.

When ACU Detectives spoke to the victim, she explained how Coathup had attended her address when she was the victim of a domestic-related incident in April 2021. She described exchanging messages with Coathup and how those messages quickly became flirtatious and sexualised. The victim described exchanging sexually explicit images with Coathup and later having sex with him.

Upon arresting Coathup, ACU Detectives seized and examined his mobile telephones. The examination of Coathup’s mobile telephones identified a second vulnerable victim. Further enquiries conducted by ACU Detectives uncovered that Coathup had met the second victim when she had reported a domestic abuse incident. The second victim said Coathup sent her flirtatious and sexualised messages and a sexual image of himself.

Following consultation with the Crown Prosecution Service, Coathup, 39, was charged with misconduct in public office and corrupt or other improper exercise of police powers and privilege. He appeared at Manchester Crown Court on 6 December 2022 and pleaded guilty to two counts of being a holder of a public office who wilfully neglected to perform his duty/wilfully misconducted himself.

Following his guilty pleas, Coathup resigned from the force. An Accelerated Misconduct Hearing was conducted under the Former Officer Regulations and the Chief Constable determined that had he still been a serving officer, Coathup would have been dismissed. Coathup has subsequently been added to the Barred List.

On Friday (17 February), Coathup appeared back before the courts and was sentenced to two years imprisonment.

Detective Inspector Eugene Swift, of our Anti-Corruption Unit, 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.”

To report any concerns regarding the behaviour of police officers and staff, email IACT@lancashire.police.uk. You can also report anonymously via CrimeStoppers on 0800 111 4444.