John Rigby, 37, pleaded guilty at Chester Magistrates’ Court and awaits sentencing at Chester Crown Court. He admitted paying a vulnerable teenager for sexual services
A police officer has admitted to paying a vulnerable lad for sex while serving in the Merseyside Police. John Rigby made his confession at Chester Magistrates’ Court, where he pleaded guilty to paying the teenager for sexual services and using a work computer to access unauthorised information.
Rigby, 37, from Roby Street, St Helens, appeared in court on November 20 where he confessed to paying for sexual services of a boy aged 16-17, as well as three charges of using a computer to secure/enable access to unauthorised data. He was remanded into custody ahead of his sentencing at Chester Crown Court on Friday, December 19.
In anticipation of this week’s sentencing, Merseyside Police posted an accelerated misconduct hearing related to the officer on its website, with the hearing presided over by Merseyside Police Chief Constable Rob Carden on Wednesday.
The listing stated that Rigby, a probationer constable, violated the standards of professional behaviour as outlined in Schedule two to the Police Conduct (Regulations) 2020 between February 13 and June 6 this year.
He is accused of breaching: “Authority Respect and Courtesy: In that in paying for sexual services of a child you have failed to treat that child with any respect or courtesy.”, reports the Liverpool Echo.
“Discreditable conduct: In that in paying for sexual services of a child, whom by definition is vulnerable, and being criminally convicted of that offence you have acted in a way that brings policing nationally into disrepute.”
The listing goes on to detail that Rigby violated professional conduct standards between March 4 and April 25 this year for the following reasons: “Order and Instructions: In that in accessing force systems in the manner in which you did you failed to adhere to the warning signs on force systems and the ICT acceptable use policy, which forms part of your instructions.
“Duties and Responsibilities: In that in accessing force systems in the manner in which you did you failed in your duty as a police officer.
“Discreditable Conduct: In that in accessing force systems in the manner in which you did you failed and being criminally convicted of that offence you have acted in a way that brings policing nationally into disrepute.”