A Merseyside Police officer, Adam Hoyle, 39, has been found guilty of misconduct in public office for forming inappropriate relationships with vulnerable women he encountered during his duty. The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) revealed that Hoyle had sexual encounters with three women he met after they reported being victims of domestic or sexual abuse.
During his trial at Liverpool Crown Court, it emerged that Hoyle had sex with one woman when he was meant to be searching for a missing person. The IOPC initiated an investigation into the allegations of inappropriate contact following a referral by Merseyside Police in November 2019.
The investigation uncovered that in two cases, Hoyle visited the women while on duty and even used a police vehicle for these encounters. One such incident occurred in October 2016, when he was supposed to be searching for a high-risk missing person.
In addition to his misconduct in public office charge, Hoyle was also convicted of three counts of unauthorised access to computer material, which he had previously denied. His sentencing is scheduled for October 27.
Catherine Bates of the IOPC condemned Hoyle’s actions, stating, “There is absolutely no place in policing for officers who abuse their position for a sexual purpose. PC Hoyle’s vile actions are a disgusting betrayal of the trust placed in officers by the public.”
