A police officer in Wales has been dismissed from his duties after being found guilty of committing “horrific” crimes against a young child. PC John Stringer of Gwent Police faced a misconduct hearing following a verdict by a jury at Cardiff Crown Court, which convicted him of two counts of sexual assault by touching, two counts of inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity, and one count of causing a child to watch a sexual act.
The 41-year-old from Cardiff did not attend the hearing in Cwmbran and was subsequently dismissed without notice. During the trial, it was revealed that Stringer sexually assaulted the victim and encouraged her to mimic a sex act from a pornographic video he had shown her. The prosecution described Stringer as having an “unhealthy fixation” with the girl, telling her he was lonely and wanted a girlfriend.
Evidence presented in court showed that Stringer spent a significant amount of time watching pornography, with over 4,000 searches related to pornography found on his phone, including categories like “voyeur masturbation”. Stringer had previously accessed information about the effects of masturbation on stress, anxiety, focus, concentration, mood, sleep, and hormones on his mobile phone.
Gwent Police’s temporary chief constable Mark Hobrough strongly condemned the actions of Stringer and another officer, Huw Orphan, who was barred from police work for kicking his wife down a flight of stairs. Hobrough expressed disgust at the officers’ misconduct, stating that their actions betrayed the public and their colleagues. He highlighted the seriousness of domestic abuse and child sexual offences, reassuring the public of the police force’s commitment to bringing offenders to justice and safeguarding victims.
Following the guilty verdicts, Stringer was remanded in custody by Judge Daniel Williams and is set to be sentenced on October 28. The incidents involving Stringer and Orphan have raised concerns about the trust of victims in reporting such serious offences. The police force emphasised that there is no tolerance for perpetrators of abuse within Gwent Police or the wider community.
For the latest news in Wales, including updates on crime and court proceedings, readers can sign up for the newsletter to receive notifications directly to their inbox. This incident serves as a reminder of the importance of upholding integrity and trust within law enforcement agencies to protect vulnerable members of society.