Police officer jailed after sleeping with and sexting victims

Darren Coathup was sent to prison today (February 17) after engaging in two inappropriate relationships with the two women who he met as victims whilst at work, using his work phone to send them messages.

Manchester Crown Court heard how Coathup, 39, who worked on response in Blackburn, met the first victim in 2020 and started sending messages to her on his work phone before giving her his personal number where they exchanged intimate photos and videos.

READ MORE: Predatory cop attended sexual misconduct course before sleeping with victim

In the messages, Coathup said “don’t knock a copper until you’ve tried one” while other messages exchanged talked about a ‘man in uniform’.

The woman said that Coathup came across as a ‘hero’ until she realised he was in fact a ‘predator, preying on the vulnerable’.

Coathup met the second woman in 2021 and again started messaging her and sending intimate videos and photos, including on a day when he completed a training course which included information about sexual misconduct.

After this, Coathup had sex with the woman twice before becoming ‘distant’.

Coathup had 18 years’ service with Lancashire Constabulary and was described as a ‘family man’.

Judge Alan Conrad KC said that Coathup let his colleagues down by his offending.

Judge Conrad said: “The vast majority of police officers carry out their duties conscientiously and with integrity.

“The ones like you do a great disservice to their colleagues.

“You became a police officer nearly 20 years ago, your responsibility was to uphold the law and protect victims and witnesses of crime.

“The guidance could not have been clearer – forming relationships with victims is not allowed.

“The women have lost their trust in the police as a result of your actions and feel used by you.

“What happened to them plays on their mind.”

Judge Conrad jailed Coathup, who previously pleaded guilty to two counts of being a holder of a public office who wilfully neglected to perform his duty/wilfully misconducted himself, for two years.

Lancashire Constabulary said that Coathup was immediately suspended following his arrest and an accelerated misconduct hearing was held following his guilty plea, leading to his dismissal.

Darren Coathup has been jailed for two years (Image: Lancashire Police)

Coathup, of Coppull, Chorley, has been added to the barred list and the police identified the offending during an investigation before the victims came forward to the police.

Detective Inspector Eugene Swift, of Lancashire Police's Anti-Corruption Unit, said: “We are committed to upholding the highest possible standards in policing and those who fall foul of those standards will be proactively identified and dealt with – as was demonstrated in this case.

“This is not a case where the victims came forward and made a complaint to us – at that time, they may not have even realised what Darren Coathup had done was a crime.  

"The ACU’s proactive, covert tactics identified Darren Coathup may pose a risk to vulnerable women. Our ACU detectives immediately launched an investigation which has resulted in his conviction and subsequent imprisonment. Darren Coathup deliberately targeted vulnerable crime victims for his own sexual purposes. I know his behaviour will appal serving officers up and down the country.

“We are committed to protecting and safeguarding women and girls from harm and where it is clearly demonstrated a criminal offence has taken place, we will work robustly with the Crown Prosecution Service to prosecute the offenders.”

“All our officers and staff are given training in what constitutes Abuse of Position for Sexual Purpose and sexual misconduct, so they fully understand what constitutes an inappropriate relationship. Despite being fully aware of this, Darren Coathup acted criminally anyway.”

“Although offences like this are extremely rare, for Lancashire Constabulary, one is one too many and detracts from the hard work and commitment to protecting the public that our police officers and staff demonstrate during every minute of every day.”