Former Northamptonshire Police officer would have been dismissed after sending unsolicited images

A former police officer would have been dismissed after sending inappropriate images, including ones of a graphic nature, a gross misconduct hearing concluded.

Former PC Toby Mullen was subject to an accelerated misconduct hearing held virtually by Northamptonshire Police on Monday (February 26) and chaired by chief constable Meynell of Nottinghamshire Police.

It was alleged that the 24-year-old, who was a response officer based in Northampton, breached the standards of professional behaviour on July 27, 2023, when a female member of the public received images on Snapchat from Mullen. The misconduct hearing heard that one image depicted a male wearing tracksuit bottoms where the outline of genitals could be seen and another showed exposed genitals.

Mullen’s phone was seized on July 31, 2023 and examined. The images were found on the phone, as well as 47 ‘notes’, which contained personal data of members of the public who he had encountered during the course of his policing duties.

Mullen was suspended from the police force in October 2023, before he was charged on December 14, 2023 with sending messages that were “grossly offensive or of an indecent, obscene or menacing character” and “knowingly or recklessly” retaining personal data, without the consent of the person who was the controller in relation to that data at the time.

The former officer appeared before Northampton Magistrates Court on January 11, 2024 when he pleaded guilty to both offences and was sentenced to a community order for a period of 12 months comprising of 100 hours unpaid work and ordered to pay a fine of £250, court costs of £85 and a victim surcharge of £114.

The subsequent misconduct hearing heard allegations that Mullen breached the standards of professional behaviour relating to discreditable conduct, honesty and integrity and confidentiality.

The former officer had resigned from Northamptonshire Police prior to the hearing being held, and did not attend the hearing.

Gross misconduct was found and it was concluded that had Mullen still been a serving police officer, he would have been dismissed.