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| James Ford: Rapist Hertfordshire officer's Facebook use to be reviewed | James Ford: Rapist Hertfordshire officer's Facebook use to be reviewed |
| (4 months later) | |
| 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 |
| Facebook posts by a rapist before he became a police officer will form part of a review into a force's vetting. | Facebook posts by a rapist before he became a police officer will form part of a review into a force's vetting. |
| Hertfordshire police officer James Ford was jailed on Friday for what a judge termed a "horrific catalogue of serious sexual offending" against a girl. | Hertfordshire police officer James Ford was jailed on Friday for what a judge termed a "horrific catalogue of serious sexual offending" against a girl. |
| The force has said it found several inappropriate Facebook "likes" during his vetting but Ford had said they "did not reflect his adult lifestyle". | The force has said it found several inappropriate Facebook "likes" during his vetting but Ford had said they "did not reflect his adult lifestyle". |
| It has now said there would be a "full review" of how he became an officer. | It has now said there would be a "full review" of how he became an officer. |
| Ford, 31, formerly of Bishop's Stortford, was jailed for 18 years and three months after a jury found him guilty of committing 10 sexual offences against the same girl. | Ford, 31, formerly of Bishop's Stortford, was jailed for 18 years and three months after a jury found him guilty of committing 10 sexual offences against the same girl. |
| He was also convicted 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. | He was also convicted 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 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. |
| His sentencing judge, 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". | His sentencing judge, 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". |
| Hertfordshire Police said that during Ford's vetting process "there were several 'likes' which were inappropriate". | Hertfordshire Police said that during Ford's vetting process "there were several 'likes' which were inappropriate". |
| "Ford confirmed the 'likes' were from his youth when he had a much darker sense of humour and did not reflect his adult lifestyle," police said in a statement. | "Ford confirmed the 'likes' were from his youth when he had a much darker sense of humour and did not reflect his adult lifestyle," police said in a statement. |
| "As there were no other matters for concern, it would have been disproportionate to refuse vetting at that time. This decision was reviewed and ratified. | "As there were no other matters for concern, it would have been disproportionate to refuse vetting at that time. This decision was reviewed and ratified. |
| "Vetting regularly finds that people who have had Facebook or other social media accounts from when they were teenagers do require reviewing and editing when they become adults. | "Vetting regularly finds that people who have had Facebook or other social media accounts from when they were teenagers do require reviewing and editing when they become adults. |
| "James Ford's explanation was reasonable and credible and his account fell into this pattern." | "James Ford's explanation was reasonable and credible and his account fell into this pattern." |
| The force has said Ford faces a fast-track misconduct process, and it said afterwards "there will be a full review of the process he went through to become a police constable with Hertfordshire Constabulary". | The force has said Ford faces a fast-track misconduct process, and it said afterwards "there will be a full review of the process he went through to become a police constable with Hertfordshire Constabulary". |
| "This is to identify any learning opportunities moving forward and how we can better improve our existing practices," the police statement said. | "This is to identify any learning opportunities moving forward and how we can better improve our existing practices," the police statement said. |
| Find BBC News: East of England on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. If you have a story suggestion email eastofenglandnews@bbc.co.uk | Find BBC News: East of England on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. If you have a story suggestion email eastofenglandnews@bbc.co.uk |
| Related Topics | |
| Bishop's Stortford | |
| Hertfordshire Constabulary |
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