Former officer sentenced for attempted sexual communication with child

A former officer has been sentenced for attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child.

Former PC, Ryan Clinton, 30, of Tamworth, was sentenced yesterday (Thursday 5 December) at Stafford Crown Court. He pleaded guilty to attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child at Cannock Magistrates’ Court on 16 October.

He was sentenced to a community service order for two years, up to 40 community requirement days, six months mental health treatment and 100 hours unpaid work. He was placed on the Sex Offenders Register for five years and given a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for five years.  

Clinton, a police officer at the time, spoke to a person posing as a 13-year-old girl on a social media platform on 4 and 5 December 2023.

Officers arrested him and seized his mobile phone at his home on 5 December 2023. He admitted the offence in interview and resigned.

A misconduct hearing, held last Thursday (28 November) and chaired by Chief Constable Chris Noble, found there was a case to answer for gross misconduct and that he would have been dismissed had he not resigned.

Clinton will be placed on the national College of Policing’s Barred List, preventing him from working within policing and other law enforcement bodies.

Deputy Chief Constable Jon Roy said: “Clinton’s actions were abhorrent and his behaviour is totally at odds with the oath that he took when he became a police officer and what the public rightly expect.

“Clinton’s offending was identified, investigated and acted upon quickly, leading to him pleading guilty at the first opportunity and his conviction at court.”