Ex-Sergeant jailed for four years over misconduct

Former police sergeant Paul Street has been jailed for four years for misconduct in public office. Street, 41, asked a former colleague for a female suspect's sex video and encouraged officers to bully a teenage detainee. His offending led to the discontinuation of 67 criminal cases and has 14 more under review.

Toxic culture fostered

Street, who was known for his "robust" style on television crime shows, created a "toxic" WhatsApp culture within Cambridgeshire Constabulary. This environment led to investigations into 11 other officers. Prosecutor Anne Whyte KC described how Street's actions fostered this culture. Following a junior officer's concern about WhatsApp use, Street messaged colleagues about "snakes" among them.

In April 2020, Street called on his team to "bully" 17-year-old detainee Robiul Islam, encouraging them to "please hit him" and "smash his head in". In the autumn of 2020, Street asked former Pc Josh Williams if there were "any nudes" on a female suspect's phone. Williams later sent Street a photo from the woman’s phone depicting her in underwear. Street later asked if Williams still had an intimate video of the woman, stating he wanted to show it to "the lads from footy".

Impact on public trust

Judge Mark Lucraft KC stated at the Old Bailey that the actions of officers like Street and Williams caused "great harm to the public faith in police forces". He added: "The public expects, and rightly so, the highest of standards from police officers."

The woman whose private images were accessed said she felt "overwhelming sense of shock, violation, anger and humiliation". She told the court: "The photographs and videos on my phone were deeply private and intimate. They were never intended to be viewed or shared by anyone without my consent. Learning that people in positions of authority deliberately accessed and circulated these images has left me feeling exposed, degraded and powerless."

Sentencing and consequences

Street was found guilty of two charges of misconduct in a public office and admitted two offences of unlawful disclosure of personal data. He was jailed for four years. Former Pc Josh Williams, 38, pleaded guilty to misconduct in public office and was handed 16 months in prison. Of the 11 other officers investigated, two resigned, one was dismissed for gross misconduct, one received a final warning, two received written warnings, and five were dealt with for low-level performance issues.

Senior specialist prosecutor Lisa Rose of the Crown Prosecution Service said: "This case exposed a sustained pattern of unacceptable conduct by a police officer who abused his position of trust. The actions of Paul Street and Joshua Williams represented a serious breach of that trust."

Emily Barry, director of engagement for the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), stated: "Paul Street's behaviour was appalling and a complete abuse of his position as a police officer. He fostered a toxic culture in his team and instead of leading by example, he encouraged others to join in exchanging inappropriate messages."