Policeman Jailed For Underage Sex Offences

A policeman has been locked-up for molesting an underage teenage girl – even preying on her while he was on duty.

PC Mark Collins, 58, served on the Metropolitan Police's South Area Command Unit.

At the Old Bailey he was sentenced to two years and four months imprisonment.

Collins had already pleaded guilty when he appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court to one count of attempting to cause or incite a girl aged 13–15 years-old to engage in sexual activity (with penetration) on or before November 24, 2019.

He also pleaded guilty to six counts of attempting to engage in sexual communications with a child. 

Those offences occurred between November 4, 2019 and November 26, 2019.

Collins used personal devices to commit the offences, some of which were carried out while he was on duty - but not in his capacity as a police officer.

Following his arrest on November 26, 2019 he was immediately suspended from duty and later charged on November 9, last year.

Collins retired from the Metropolitan Police on February 19.

A Special Case Hearing was held on Wednesday, April 21 and concluded that PC Collins’ conduct amounted to gross misconduct and that had he still been a serving officer he would have been dismissed.

Commander Paul Betts, Directorate of Professional Standards, said: “These are absolutely abhorrent crimes and it is utterly shocking that a police officer could have committed them.

“It is clear this type of conduct has no place within the organisation and we are committed to bringing the perpetrators of such terrible crimes to justice, whoever they may be.”