Stuart Trentham, a 40-year-old former police constable with South Yorkshire Police, has pleaded guilty to misconduct in public office after admitting to sending inappropriate messages to a crime victim. The case, which has raised concerns about professional conduct within the force, was heard today at Sheffield Crown Court.
Trentham, who was based in Doncaster, admitted to sending a series of flirtatious and sexualised messages to a vulnerable victim between July and August 2022. Initially, their communications had focused on the victim’s case, which Trentham had been investigating, but the tone shifted, prompting the victim to report his behaviour to South Yorkshire Police in August 2022.
Following the victim’s complaint, the force’s Professional Standards Department swiftly launched an investigation. Trentham was arrested on August 23, 2022, and suspended from duty the same day. Although he gave no comments during his police interview, key evidence was obtained from his devices, which revealed the inappropriate nature of his communications.
Trentham resigned from South Yorkshire Police on December 3, 2023. Later that month, on December 21, he faced an accelerated misconduct hearing related to a separate internal investigation into the improper access of police computer systems. The hearing concluded that Trentham’s conduct amounted to gross misconduct, and he would have been dismissed without notice had he not already resigned.
Detective Superintendent James Axe, head of South Yorkshire Police’s Professional Standards Department, commented on the case: “The public expect and deserve the very highest standards of professionalism when interacting with our officers, especially when they are the victim of a crime. Trentham’s behaviour was utterly unacceptable, and this case shows we will not hesitate to pursue justice against police officers who commit crimes and fail to uphold our high standards and true values.”
Trentham has been released on bail and is due to be sentenced at Sheffield Crown Court on January 6, 2025.
