Following a trial at Cambridge Crown Court, a serving Hertfordshire Constabulary officer was convicted today of multiple child abuse offences. He was found guilty on all counts and remanded in custody. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Friday, October 21st. 31, was charged with 11 counts, including rape of a minor and perverting the course of justice by purposefully wiping his phone. According to the evidence presented in court, sexual offences occurred between December 1, 2019 and September 30, 2021, and Ford tampered with his device on October 17, 2021. When the allegations were made public, the case was independently investigated by officers from Cambridgeshire Constabulary’s Child Abuse Investigation and Safeguarding Unit (CAISU). The case was also referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct as well as the force’s Professional Standards Department. Ford, who was previously employed as a uniformed response officer in East Herts, has been suspended since November of last year. Ford became a member of the force in December 2019. The court heard how the charges are related to one victim who cannot be identified and has received full support from trained officers from Cambridgeshire. They occurred over a 21-month period and were revealed when the victim made disclosures to her father. “First and foremost, I want to pay tribute to the victim and her immediate family’s courage and bravery,” said Detective Inspector Susie Hine, who leads the CAISU team. The jury was left in no doubt by the victim’s powerful testimony, and a predatory sex offender is now behind bars.” Cases of this nature are both disturbing and upsetting, and I want to reassure the public that no offender, no matter who they are, can hide. In this case, a serving police officer faces the custodial consequences of his heinous actions.” DC “Ford has shown no remorse for his actions, and it’s a credit to the victim that the jury saw beyond his lies,” said Mark Williamson, who is also based within CAISU and is the officer in the case. I would encourage victims of child abuse to contact police or support organisations to get the help and support they require, regardless of when the offence occurred. Ford faces a significant prison sentence for his crimes, which I hope gives the victim and their family a sense of justice.” “James Ford took advantage of a vulnerable victim in the most appalling way, and his behaviour will have devastated those involved,” Hertfordshire Assistant Chief Constable Genna Telfer said. Thankfully, thanks to the victim’s bravery and the officers investigating, he will now serve time in prison, where he belongs. I am disgusted by his actions, and he will face a dismissal hearing as soon as possible.”
