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| James Ford: Hertfordshire Police officer who raped child is jailed | James Ford: Hertfordshire Police officer who raped child is jailed |
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| James Ford, an intervention officer for Hertfordshire Police, was found guilty of 10 counts of sex offences against the same girl | James Ford, an intervention officer for Hertfordshire Police, was found guilty of 10 counts of sex offences against the same girl |
| A judge has described a serving police officer who raped a child a "disgrace" before jailing him. | A judge has described a serving police officer who raped a child a "disgrace" before jailing him. |
| James Ford, an intervention officer for Hertfordshire Police, was found guilty of committing 10 sexual offences against the same girl. | James Ford, an intervention officer for Hertfordshire Police, was found guilty of committing 10 sexual offences against the same girl. |
| Mr Justice Bryan described the case as a "horrific catalogue of serious sexual offending against a young child". | Mr Justice Bryan described the case as a "horrific catalogue of serious sexual offending against a young child". |
| Ford, formerly of Bishop's Stortford, was jailed for 18 years and three months. | Ford, formerly of Bishop's Stortford, was jailed for 18 years and three months. |
| The judge said after the sentence Ford would serve extended period on licence of 12 months. | |
| Ford was also found guilty of carrying out an act tending and intended to pervert the course of public justice, in that he "deliberately wiped his phone" by factory reset. | Ford was also found guilty of carrying out an act tending and intended to pervert the course of public justice, in that he "deliberately wiped his phone" by factory reset. |
| The judge said jurors were satisfied that Ford had wiped his phone as he "knew or suspected material relating to the offences" was on it. | The judge said jurors were satisfied that Ford had wiped his phone as he "knew or suspected material relating to the offences" was on it. |
| He said this was consistent with the girl's evidence that Ford was "pointing (his) phone at her while acts of sexual abuse were going on". | He said this was consistent with the girl's evidence that Ford was "pointing (his) phone at her while acts of sexual abuse were going on". |
| James Ford was jailed at Cambridge Crown Court on Friday | James Ford was jailed at Cambridge Crown Court on Friday |
| The jury convicted him of four counts of raping a child under 13, two of assaulting a child under 13 by penetration, two of sexual assault against a child under 13 and two of causing or inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity. | The jury convicted him of four counts of raping a child under 13, two of assaulting a child under 13 by penetration, two of sexual assault against a child under 13 and two of causing or inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity. |
| Ford joined Hertfordshire Police in 2019 and was a uniformed response officer based in the east of the county. | Ford joined Hertfordshire Police in 2019 and was a uniformed response officer based in the east of the county. |
| He was suspended in November 2021. | He was suspended in November 2021. |
| Sentencing him on Friday, Mr Justice Bryan said Ford's "appalling course of sexual offending pretty much spans the whole time during which you have been a serving police officer". | Sentencing him on Friday, Mr Justice Bryan said Ford's "appalling course of sexual offending pretty much spans the whole time during which you have been a serving police officer". |
| "As a serving police officer you, of all people, should have protected society against sexual abusers, and not have acted as a perpetrator of such vile crimes yourself," he said. | "As a serving police officer you, of all people, should have protected society against sexual abusers, and not have acted as a perpetrator of such vile crimes yourself," he said. |
| "You are a disgrace to your office and your conduct overshadows the countless occasions when brave officers behave with honour and propriety, and demand the greatest of respect from the public." | "You are a disgrace to your office and your conduct overshadows the countless occasions when brave officers behave with honour and propriety, and demand the greatest of respect from the public." |
| The girl's mother, in a statement read by prosecutor Isobel Ascherson, described Ford as a "disgusting excuse of a human being", adding: "No prison sentence is ever going to be long enough for what happened." | The girl's mother, in a statement read by prosecutor Isobel Ascherson, described Ford as a "disgusting excuse of a human being", adding: "No prison sentence is ever going to be long enough for what happened." |
| Ford was also made subject of a sexual harm prevention order and given a restraining order in respect of the girl. | Ford was also made subject of a sexual harm prevention order and given a restraining order in respect of the girl. |
| After his conviction, Assistant Chief Constable Genna Telfer said she was "disgusted" by Ford's actions and warned he would face a fast-track dismissal hearing. | After his conviction, Assistant Chief Constable Genna Telfer said she was "disgusted" by Ford's actions and warned he would face a fast-track dismissal hearing. |
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