A former police officer from Bedfordshire has been sentenced to 18 months in jail for removing a burglar’s monitoring tag so she could engage in a sexual relationship with him. Natasha Conneely, 31, admitted to the charge of corruption or other improper exercise of police powers and privileges. She had been working for Bedfordshire Police’s offender management unit when the inappropriate relationship was discovered. An investigation by the force’s professional standards department revealed that Conneely had allowed the known burglar to visit her home undetected after removing his monitoring tag.
During the investigation, it was found that Conneely and the burglar had spent a night together in a hotel in Leeds in June 2023. The offender management unit where Conneely worked was responsible for monitoring and managing offenders in the community using tagging and other methods to prevent reoffending. Chief Constable Trevor Rodenhurst condemned Conneely’s actions, stating that engaging in a sexual relationship with an offender was highly inappropriate. He emphasized the potential risks of her actions in allowing the offender to spend time with her without detection.
Conneely resigned from the police force after the charges were brought against her. A police hearing in November 2023 determined that her behavior amounted to gross misconduct for discreditable conduct and lack of honesty and integrity. She was subsequently placed on the College of Policing’s barred list, effectively ending her career in law enforcement. The case highlights the importance of upholding the standards of conduct expected from police officers and the severe consequences of abusing one’s position of authority
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