A police officer, who worked on response in Blackburn, has had part of his pension seized after he had inappropriate relationships with two women he met as victims while at work.

Darren Coathup was sent to prison last February after sleeping with a vulnerable victim and sending sexually explicit messages to another.

Clive Grunshaw, Lancashire's police and crime commissioner, has committed to taking every available step to punish officers who abuse their position and damage trust in policing.

Coathup, who was sentenced to two years in prison for abusing his position for a sexual purpose, has had 65 per cent of his pension taken for a period of five years once he is eligible to receive it.

This is following a pension forfeiture decision, taken by Mr Grunshaw following discussions with legal experts and the anti-corruption unit.

Police officers can have their pensions forfeited if they are convicted of a criminal offence in connection with their service which could result in a serious loss of confidence in the police.

Clive Grunshaw said: "As commissioner, I will continue to support the constabulary on policing standards and the processes they have in place to spot the signs of anyone abusing their position, remove them from the streets and put them behind bars.

"When we can go further, and take steps to ensure police officers who break the trust of colleagues and the people of Lancashire, forfeit the fullest amount of their pension we can, we will take absolutely every available step to do so.

"This decision sends a clear message that any form of misconduct, especially those that exploit the vulnerable, will not be tolerated within Lancashire.

"Pension forfeiture is a significant step and shows how those who are entrusted with the duty to serve and protect are held to the highest standards of integrity and accountability and where they fall short of these standards, will be tackled with every tool we have."

Sam Mackenzie, deputy chief constable for Lancashire Police, said: "Offending of such an appalling nature must have wide-reaching consequences.

"It is right the decision has been taken to subject Coathup to this pension forfeiture and I’m sure the public would expect us to take such a step when dealing with officers who have been convicted of criminal offences."

The forfeiture is made against the Constabulary's contributions. An officer's own contributions to the pension cannot be subject to forfeiture.

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

At the time of his sentencing, Manchester Crown Court heard how Coathup 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.

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 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’.