A POLICE offender manager has been banned from ever working for another force after she was jailed for misconduct in a public officer.

Rachel Beale, former offender manager at Wiltshire Police’s Management of Sexual or Violent Offenders (MOSOVO) Unit, formed an illicit relationship with Marc Few, a convicted rapist she was due to be managing.

She misused the police database, treated him more favourably than others under her care, allowed him to smoke cannabis and drink alcohol with her then-partner, and they both breached Covid regulations together by staying at hotels.

FULL STORY: Offender manager jailed for relationship with convicted rapist

She was jailed for six months at Bristol Crown Court on Wednesday (March 30).

Beale, now 53, was arrested in September 2020, and suspended from duty. It was then referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).

An internal gross misconduct hearing was held last week, which ruled that she would have been dismissed from Wiltshire Police had she not resigned. The Adver had asked to attend the hearing, but was told it was private.

Reacting to the sentence, Deputy Chief Constable Paul Mills said that the force expects “the highest levels of conduct from all our officers, staff and volunteers”.

“Rachel Beale betrayed the trust of the public, and betrayed the trust of her colleagues, when she blatantly abused her position to commit this crime,” he continued. “The outcome of this investigation and today’s sentence shows that there is no place in policing for someone who behaves in this way.

“She was immediately suspended from duties when this matter was brought to our attention, and, once she had pleaded guilty in court we held an internal misconduct hearing, which resulted in her being dismissed from the Force. This misconduct outcome protects the public by ensuring she is placed on the national barred list and cannot seek further work at any other police forces.”

DCC Mills added: “I want our communities across Swindon and Wiltshire to have the utmost confidence in their police force, and, although cases like this highlight the disappointing and unacceptable minority, I hope the public can see that we are committed to rooting out any kind of misconduct and taking the appropriate action.

“If any member of the public has concerns relating to the professionalism of any officer or staff member, we would urge them to contact us in confidence so we can address the concerns raised.”

IOPC regional director Derrick Campbell said: “Following our investigation, Rachel Beale admitted that she entered into an intimate relationship over a period of time with a man she was meant to be supervising professionally. Despite knowing there was an imbalance of power she pursued the relationship. She also admitted misusing her police identification to book hotel rooms while Covid restrictions were in place and without policing purpose and treating him more favourably than others she was managing.

“She abused her position and has now been sentenced by a criminal court for her actions, which carried significant potential to undermine public confidence in Wiltshire Police. The public should be reassured that she can no longer hold a role in policing.”