Former Pc convicted of misconduct jailed after Court of Appeal changes sentence

A former police officer who had sex in a patrol car with a drunk woman he offered to take home has been sent to prison after the Court of Appeal altered his sentence.

Ex-Pc Matthew Longmate, 47, and a Derbyshire Constabulary colleague had sex with the woman while on duty after she was was ejected from a Chesterfield nightclub in October 2015.

Longmate was convicted of a single count of misconduct in public office at Southwark Crown Court but was spared prison, receiving a 12-month suspended sentence in January.

But, after his sentence was referred to the Court of Appeal, judges quashed the suspended sentence and imposed an 11-month prison term on Friday, the Ministry of Justice said.

Passing the original sentence, Judge Christopher Hehir said the former officer decided to have sex with the woman in a “moment of madness” but had been encouraged to do so by his “serial offender” colleague who instigated the sexual encounter.

Longmate was dismissed by Derbyshire Constabulary after his conviction.

The suspended sentence was referred to the Court of Appeal by the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) under the unduly lenient sentence scheme.

After the Court of Appeal’s decision on Friday, Solicitor General Robert Courts said: “Matthew Longmate’s abuse of his position for sexual gain was sickening and I extend my deepest sympathies to the victim at what must be a difficult time.

“Longmate’s extended sentence sends a clear message that there are serious consequences for those who carry out misconduct in a public office.”

After Longmate’s original sentencing, the Independent Office for Police Conduct’s director of major investigations Steve Noonan said: “Pc Longmate targeted a lone woman who was in a vulnerable position in a town centre late at night.

“She should have felt safe in this situation but instead, he and his colleague abused their position as police officers in a way that is a complete betrayal of the public trust placed in them.

“Police officers who abuse their power for sexual gain not only discredit their profession but breach the public’s trust and seriously undermines confidence in the police service.”