Former Shropshire police officer jailed for misconduct
A former West Mercia Police officer has been sentenced to eight months in prison after being found guilty of two counts of misconduct in public office.
The sentence was handed down yesterday to, Mark Cranfield, 52, following a trial at Birmingham Crown Court where he was convicted on December 19th of last year. Cranfield had previously pleaded guilty to one count under the Computer Misuse Act.
Cranfield’s crimes came to light following an investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC). The court heard how Cranfield abused his position as a police officer in October 2018 by attempting to initiate a sexual relationship with a witness in a case he was investigating. This abuse of power was uncovered during an unrelated investigation in July 2021.
Cranfield, who was a PC based in Shropshire, retired from West Mercia Police in May 2022.
After he was found guilty, Deputy Chief Constable Rachel Jones said: “The victim showed great bravery to come forward and we’re grateful to her in this case for telling us about Mark Cranfield’s actions. Mark Cranfield abused his position as a police officer and this behaviour will not be tolerated”.
Despite his prior retirement, Cranfield will now face internal disciplinary proceedings within the police force.
