Former police officer from Henlow jailed for grooming vulnerable girls for 'own sexual gratification'

Elliot Wright, 29, was working as an officer in the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Roads Policing Unit when he arranged to meet a vulnerable teenage girl after finishing his shift on March 21 this year.

The girl, from Hertfordshire, had a deprivation of liberty order for her own safety, and staff at her care home called the police when they saw her getting into a car.

Officers tracked down Wright’s vehicle near his home a short time later and arrested him. The victim told police he had told her to delete his messages before he was stopped.

After his arrest, detectives found further potential victims on social media – including a 16-year-old girl who he had paid in return for sexual images.

Messages between them showed that Wright knew she was vulnerable and often needed money to buy food. On one occasion, he had offered her just £3 for images.

Wright pleaded guilty to three counts of inciting the sexual exploitation of a child, arranging the sexual exploitation of a child, abduction of a child in care, paying for the sexual services of a child and perverting the course of justice. A further charge of misconduct in a public office, which he denied, was ordered to lay on his file.

He was sentenced to a total of three-and-a-half years at St Albans Crown Court today (Wednesday). He was also handed an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order. Wright was immediately suspended after his arrest and has been remanded in custody. He had his vetting removed and was dismissed from the force in July.

T/Chief Constable Dan Vajzovic said: “Wright is undoubtedly a deviant sexual predator who targeted and groomed young girls for his own sexual gratification.

"Police officers are trained to identify vulnerability so they can protect people from harm. Wright used that training, and his position as a police officer, to abuse some of the most vulnerable young girls for his own means.

"The district judge who remanded him on his first appearance after his arrest described his actions as ‘reprehensible’ which is absolutely fitting. There is no excuse for how he acted, and he has let down his colleagues and further harmed trust and confidence in policing. There is categorically no place in this, or any police force, for anyone who behaves in this way, and I welcome his custodial sentence."

If you suspect a police officer, staff member or volunteer of corruption or serious abuse, call the Police Anti-Corruption and Abuse Reporting Service on 0800 085 0000.

An NSPCC spokesperson said: “Wright was trained to spot and assist the most vulnerable people in his community. Instead he abused his position of trust as a police officer to target online, groom and sexually abuse teenage girls.

“We would also encourage anyone who has experienced sexual abuse, no matter when it happened or who the perpetrator was, to speak out and seek any support they might need.

“If you’re concerned about the welfare of a child or young person, please call the NSPCC Helpline on 0808 800 5000 for help and advice or email [email protected].”