The officer also faced a misconduct hearing
John Rigby admitted to paying a vulnerable teenager for sexual services(Image: Andrew Teebay Liverpool Echo)
A police officer pleaded guilty to paying a vulnerable boy for sex while working for Merseyside Police. John Rigby appeared in Chester Magistrates’ Court, where he admitted to paying the teenager for sex and using a work computer to look at unauthorised information.
Rigby, 37, of Roby Street, St Helens, appeared in court on November 20 where he admitted to paying for sexual services of a boy aged 16-17, as well as three charges of using a computer to secure/enable access to unauthorised data. He was remanded into custody ahead of sentencing at Chester Crown Court on Friday, December 19.
Ahead of the sentencing this week, Merseyside Police listed an accelerated misconduct hearing relating to the officer on its website, with the hearing chaired by Merseyside Police Chief Constable Rob Carden today, December 17.
The listing said Rigby, a probationer constable, breached the standards of professional behaviour as set out in Schedule two to the Police Conduct (Regulations) 2020 between February 13 and June 6 this year.
He is listed as allegedly breaching: “Authority Respect and Courtesy: In that in paying for sexual services of a child you have failed to treat that child with any respect or courtesy.
“Discreditable conduct: In that in paying for sexual services of a child, whom by definition is vulnerable, and being criminally convicted of that offence you have acted in a way that brings policing nationally into disrepute.”
The listing continues to outline that Rigby breached the standard of professional behaviour between March 4 and April 25 this year due to the following: “Order and Instructions: In that in accessing force systems in the manner in which you did you failed to adhere to the warning signs on force systems and the ICT acceptable use policy, which forms part of your instructions.
“Duties and Responsibilities: In that in accessing force systems in the manner in which you did you failed in your duty as a police officer.
“Discreditable Conduct: In that in accessing force systems in the manner in which you did you failed and being criminally convicted of that offence you have acted in a way that brings policing nationally into disrepute.”
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