On-duty Met Police officer told girl he would ‘pick her up from school to make love'
Che Homersham, 37, was sentenced to six months' imprisonment at Southwark Crown Court on Tuesday after pleading guilty to abusing his position as a police constable by attempting to instigate a sexual relationship with the girl between December 2018 and January 2019.
Homersham, then aged 30, was on duty in full uniform attached to an emergency patrol and response in north London on December 21 2018, the court was told.
While responding to a domestic incident involving a female suspect, he took her children's personal details including the telephone number of the 16-year-old girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons.
The victim's mother was released from police custody on December 22 2018 and on the same day Homersham called the girl from his personal phone, saying he needed to take a witness statement from her and asking where she was.
After being told she was at her grandmother's house, Homersham arrived in his personal car at the address, telling the girl he had done so 'to make her feel more comfortable', prosecutor David Miller said.
He then drove her to the Harrow Viewpoint, 'a secluded location well-known for people going to have sex', Mr Miller said.
The prosecutor added: 'He asked if she wanted to go for a walk in the forest and said lots of people got arrested for having sex.'
After the girl said he could be a 'psychopathic serial killer', Homersham replied that he was a ' police officer and would know how to cover it up'.
Homersham, of Southgate, north London, asked to kiss the girl and she refused, the court was told.
On December 30 2018, he asked if he could meet the girl again and they met in a McDonald's car park.
Homersham discussed his sexual preferences with the girl, the court was told.
Mr Miller said: 'He made several attempts to kiss her but she backed off until the third or fourth attempt when she just let it happen.
'He also touched her thigh and waist over her clothes.'
Homersham subsequently sent the girl a text in which he said he was going to 'pick her up from school and make love to her', the court was told.
The text made the girl 'uncomfortable' and her mother told her to stop all contact with Homersham, Mr Miller said.
Following this, Homersham 'infrequently' messaged the girl and also helped her arrange driving lessons.
Judge Christopher Hehir said Homersham's behaviour was 'highly inappropriate'.
Delivering his sentencing remarks, the judge told Homersham: 'You came into contact with her when she was vulnerable.
'In those circumstances when it is a domestic incident, your job is to ensure the safety and wellbeing of any child you encounter, not to target one of them for sexual activity.
'You obtained the girl's telephone number under the pretext of needing a witness statement from her.
'There was in fact no need for a witness statement at all and you had something completely else in mind.'
The judge said Homersham had collected the girl and taken her to a 'secluded location, where what is often referred to as dogging takes place'.
He added: 'Even if you had not been a police officer, one might wonder why a 30 or 31 year-old man was making sexual advances to a 16-year-old.
'This was highly inappropriate, entirely wrong and unlawful.'
The judge said delays to the case made for a 'substantial degree of mitigation', adding it had resulted in a 'substantially lower sentence than I had in mind'.
He told Homersham: 'As a former police officer, the experience of prison will not be a pleasant one.'
In a statement read out to the court, the victim said she was now aware she had been 'taken advantage of as a vulnerable teenager' having shown interest in joining the police and that she 'felt sick about what had happened'.
She added that she 'did not trust men or the police' and did not report anything at the time as 'she was taken advantage of'.
Homersham's counsel Emma Kutner said in mitigation: 'This is a man who is ashamed and is remorseful of his behaviour.'
Ms Kutner added Homersham had seen 'some horrific crime scenes that had taken a toll upon him' and was at the time of the offences receiving counselling while struggling with mental health and being subject to workplace bullying.
Homersham was charged after an investigation by the Metropolitan Police's anti-corruption unit which started in June 2023 and was carried out under the direction of the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).
IOPC director Amanda Rowe said: 'Police officers hold a position of trust in the community and to abuse this position for a sexual purpose is a form of serious corruption.
'Such unacceptable conduct can cause significant damage to the public's trust and confidence in the police, and is particularly serious where the victim is a vulnerable person.
'We know this incident has had a significant impact on the young victim and damaged her trust in police officers.
'Homersham met her after responding to a domestic incident. The child was hoping to join the police and she trusted the officer, who had promised to help her with her career.
'However, instead of helping her, he took advantage of his position as a police officer to pursue a sexual relationship. As a result of his actions he now has a criminal conviction.'
Homersham resigned from the Met in February 2024, which he had joined at the end of July 2017, having previously been a special constable since October 2015.
The IOPC said it would liaise with the Metropolitan Police to progress misconduct proceedings.
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