Married detective who had sex with a 20-year-old suspect while he was on duty is jailed
Grant McPherson, 37, gave Jessica Lorenzin, 20, herbal viagra and legal highs, which left her feeling like a 'zombie' during their raunchy sessions
A COP who had sex, including a threesome, with a former suspect while he was on duty has been jailed.
DC Grant McPherson, 37, gave Jessica Lorenzin, 20, herbal viagra and legal highs, which left her feeling like a "zombie" during their raunchy sessions.
They carried out their affair in hotels, at a spa and even in Notting Hill police station.
He met the Albanian student after she was arrested for alleged criminal damage to the door of her home in Earls Court, London in October 2015.
They exchanged numbers after he gave her a lift home, and the married dad-of-one, who now lives in Glasgow, began an affair with her which lasted until last summer.
Their fling came to light after he was arrested over an unrelated matter last August, and his WhatsApp messages were recovered.
Last month, McPherson, who has returned north of the border with wife Sarah and their two-year-old son, admitted misconduct in public office.
He also admitted an offence under the Bail Act after failing to turn up on time - requiring a bench warrant to be issued - because he was drunk.
Two counts of supplying cocaine were dismissed after McPherson claimed he had only given her legal highs.
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A judge blasted his "utterly deplorable behaviour" and for betraying "public trust and confidence" as he jailed him for four months.
McPherson, who was in the force for 16 years, was the investigating officer for Ms Lorenzin at Charing Cross Police Station, and interviewed her at 1.30am.
He told the custody sergeant the Crown Prosecution Service had advised no further action, and she was released at 4.20am.
Snaresbrook Crown Court heard Ms Lorenzin sent him a message on November 4, saying: "Hi, sorry for disturbing, I am Jessica. We met on Thursday/Friday in Charing Cross.
"I want to ask if it's possible to drink something, and talk about an important topic. Thanks."
Madeleine Wolfe, prosecuting, said: "He got back to her, and they arranged to meet, and one can see from the WhatsApp conversation that they got involved in talking about sex reasonably swiftly.
"He told her that he had been in a seven-year relationship which finished about a year ago, and that he was only interested in casual relationships.
"But as a matter of fact, at the time he had a partner and a small child."
Summarising the witness statements, the prosecutor said: "She had sex with him at her home, and then again at a spa with another man, in two hotels, and at Notting Hill police station - all whilst he was on duty.
"She describes him providing her and encouraging her to take a white powder, which he said was cocaine. She had not tried drugs before.
"She describes the effect it had on her in making her feel like a zombie.
"The defendant maintained that he had not given her illegal drugs, but herbal viagra and other legal highs."
The court heard Miss Lorenzin sent him a message in February 2016 saying: "I am sorry, I thought we were in a dating process, not a drug and f**k, with everything I don't want to do."
McPherson was caught out after being reported missing by his partner on August 8 after failing to come home, saying he was popping out to return a police car.
He later returned home "drunk and not making an awful lot of sense", and he was told by colleagues to get some sleep and go to work the next day, the court heard.
The next day, he was arrested over a "completely different matter", about "a group of people and a woman called Stacey", Ms Wolfe said.
His mobile phone was seized, and the messages came to light.
McPherson was interviewed last December, and admitted the sexual relationship, but denied giving her cocaine, claiming it was herbal substances.
Sentencing him, Judge Martyn Zeidman QC, the Honorary Recorder of Redbridge, said: "It was utterly deplorable behaviour. It really is a betrayal of public trust and confidence in a police officer.
"This is obviously a court of law, not a court of morals. The fact that you have behaved so badly to your wife is not my business.
"It is common ground that the first suggestion of sex came from her.
"And thereafter, during work time, when you were on duty paid by the public, you engaged in consensual sexual activity with her.
"It was utterly deplorable behaviour. It really is a betrayal of public trust and confidence in a police officer."
Judge Martyn Zeidman QC
"I am told that on five occasions you went to three different hotels. And on each occasion, when you should have been doing your job, you were with her.
"That is most obviously a serious breach of your duty.
"Your career of 16 years is in ruins. Realistically you will be dismissed from the police force.
"Fortunately you have the support of a loving family."
Refusing a plea to suspend sentence, he said: "This was not a one off act of misconduct. You did it more than once."
In mitigation David Hughes, defending, said he had struggled with alcohol problems, anxiety and depression, but was addressing his issues.
He added: "This defendant was, as many are in the public service with the cuts and lack of support, under considerable pressure.
"He was well aware things were coming off the rails.
"But he didn't do anything about it. He didn't want to be observed as being weak by his colleagues in seeking help.
"So instead of actually doing something about it, it just gets worse. And the spiral downwards continues, manifesting itself in excessive alcohol consumption."
McPherson, of Glasgow, waved and gave the thumbs up to his family in the public gallery as he was led from the dock.