Officer who disgraced police by 
pursuing sex on duty facing jail

Matthew Fisher, 37, from Selby, faces jail after being convicted of misconduct in a public office and three sexual assaults following a week-long trial. He was cleared of attempted rape.

The North Yorkshire Police officer, who has since submitted his resignation, had already admitted two misconduct charges relating to his use of police computers to look up the details for two different women and meeting them for sex while on duty.

He has now been convicted by a jury at Hull Crown Court of sexual assaults against two other women and a further charge of misconduct by misusing the police database to get mobile numbers for women.

Judge Michael Mettyear told Fisher: “The sentence will be remarkably less than you would have received had you been convicted of the most serious offence. As it is, you have been found guilty to the other matters, which are so serious only a custodial sentence can be justified.”

In early 2011 Fisher had consensual sex at a woman’s home, and with another woman in his police van when he parked near Selby Bus Station in November 2011.

The first occasion, on New Year’s Day 2011, Fisher pulled up in his police van and offered a woman a lift home, which she agreed to.

Prosecutor Simon Waley said: “Using his police radio, he arranged consensual sexual activity at her home one to two weeks later.”

In November 2011, Fisher met a woman in a Selby supermarket and obtained her contact details and car details through police computer systems.

The first sexual assault complainant had been involved in a minor accident which Fisher attended. He visited her home several times, once pulling down her top and asking “Are you up for it?”

He will be sentenced at the same court on May 3.