Police officers targeted vulnerable women for sexual purposes, MLAs told

Detailed summary

However Police Ombudsman Jacqui Durkin said she is encouraged by ‘strong messages’ from the PSNI on the subject.

Women with “known vulnerabilities” were targeted by police officers for sexual purposes, a police watchdog has said.

A report earlier this year by the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland (PONI) revealed each of the alleged victims was classed as being a “vulnerable” individual, and they included a 14-year-old girl.

Ombudsman Jacqui Durkin said evidence had been found that some officers targeted women known to have vulnerabilities.

These vulnerabilities included a clinical mental health diagnosis, domestic abuse victim, learning disability, physical disability, history of sexual assault, and a background in care.

Appearing at the Executive Office scrutiny committee on Wednesday, Ms Durkin said in three cases, they found police officers had sexual contact on the day they met the victims.

The committee heard that since January 1, 2025, the Ombudsman’s office had received 49 cases, more than in the five years in the report, which was attributed to some feeling safer to whistle blow.

She told MLAs: “The chief constable has described the abusive position for sexual purposes as the most serious form of police corruption, and I agree.

“While police officers have a right to a private life, they do not have the right to abuse their unique position for their own gain.

“I believe that the majority of PSNI officers abide by their code of ethics every day, and will have been horrified at our findings.

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