A police officer has been sacked after carrying out an ‘improper relationship’ with a crime victim.
Paul Banks, who worked as a PC in Salford, has been dismissed and barred after a Gross Misconduct Hearing on 24 and 25 January 2023.
In the hearing, a panel heard how Banks had advised a vulnerable woman to create an email account – which he then accessed to view images and videos, some of which were explicit, that she had uploaded.
He viewed the content more than 200 times and never reported them to his manager or the force’s Professional Standards Branch.
In the end, his own colleagues sensed that something was amiss and raised the alarm.
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GMP has now slammed Banks’s ‘depraved behaviour’ and stressed that ‘there will never be a place in GMP for anybody who behaves like him’.
A statement also said that he ‘abused his position of trust’.
Detective Chief Superintendent Michael Allen, head of GMP’s Professional Standards Branch, said: “Banks knew full well that his conduct was egregiously wrong.
“By cultivating an improper relationship with a vulnerable member of the public who he met in the course of his policing duties, the officer has been deservedly sacked from GMP.
“Not only has he disgraced himself, but his depraved behaviour dishonours policing and undermines the principled endeavours of his colleagues, who everyday do a valiant job catching criminals and protecting our communities.
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“Indeed, it was Banks’ own colleagues who sensed something was amiss and triggered the first step in a process that rooted him out.
“The prudence of his colleagues is to be commended and I am grateful to the IOPC for conducting an investigation that left no stone unturned.
#SACKED I A police officer has been dismissed and placed on the College of Policing Barred List for carrying out an ‘improper relationship’ with a vulnerable woman. Paul Banks, who worked as a PC in Salford, appeared at a disciplinary hearing. More here – https://t.co/NUQ0aEEa8Opic.twitter.com/LWzTYQpb55
“No decent member of the police service wants to work with the likes of Banks and there will never be a place in GMP for anybody who behaves like him.
“He abused his position of trust and for that the Office of Constable has been rightly stripped from him.
“GMP is a better force without Banks and we will recruit a new officer into his post who will discharge their duties with honour and espouse the professional and compassionate values of the GMP workforce.”
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Banks, who had been on restricted since the investigation began in December 2020, was dismissed without notice.
Featured image: Flickr
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The Council is giving Mancs £2,500 to move into a ‘more manageable’ home
Emily Sergeant
The Council is now offering financial help to support people moving into a smaller and ‘more manageable’ property.
Ever heard of ‘rightsizing? Well, according Manchester City Council it’s a process where a tenant in a larger social rent, Council, or Housing Association property, that may have more rooms than they need or perhaps are struggling to manage a big house as they get older, can be supported into a smaller property that better suits their needs.
The benefits of this process include cheaper bills, lower rents, and overall, just homes that are easier to clean and manage.
The aim of it is also to free up larger Council properties for families who are on the housing register – of which there are said to be around 20,000 of them currently at this time, with larger homes having some of the most significant wait times.
Are you struggling to look after a big Council or housing association home? We can help!
We are offering £2,500 to help people move into a smaller more manageable home, freeing up larger homes for families that need them.
It’s also estimated, according to the Council, that a third of all social rented family homes are thought to ‘underoccupied’.
This is why financial support and grants are now being offered.
Last year alone, 109 households were helped to ‘rightsize’ and were supported in the process by a dedicated team of Council officers, as well as benefitting from the Rightsizing Incentive Scheme – with a further 432 households having expressed interest doing so in the future.
Residents interested in ‘rightsizing’ could get a cash incentive of £2,500, which can be spent on anything they like, along with moving costs.
The Council is giving Mancs £2,500 to move into a ‘more manageable’ home / Credit: Benjamin Elliott (via Unsplash)
“Rightsizing could be a brilliant option for older people who are renting a Council home who may have spare rooms they don’t need or would benefit from looking after a smaller property,” explained Cllr Gavin White, who is Manchester City Council’s Executive Member for Housing and Development.
“Often a barrier to moving is the cost, but the Council will take care of the financial burden to help a resident move into a new home.
“The benefit for the city is that we can free up more larger homes for people who are waiting for a property that properly meets their needs. We think around a third of Council tenants could be under occupying their home, which means they could be paying more than they need to or they could be hit with the bedroom tax.”
Does this sound like you? Are you ready to ‘rightsize’? Find out more and begin the process via Manchester City Council’s website here.
Featured Image – Vitaly Gariev (via Unsplash)
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Trailer released for Netflix’s new Lucy Letby documentary with ‘unprecedented access’
Emily Sergeant
The trailer for Netflix’s new documentary about the investigation of Lucy Letby has been released.
The feature-length film about Lucy Letby – the infamous neonatal nurse who was found guilty of murdering seven babies and attempting to murder seven others under her care at the Countess of Chester Hospital – hears for the first time from the police officers who investigated the case that shook the nation.
It features never-before-seen footage of Letby during her arrests and police questioning, and even includes interviews with experts and lawyers on both sides, as well as with the hospital consultants who initially raised the alarm.
Tragically, it also includes an anonymised interview with a mother of one of the victims, who also speaks for the first time about her experience and involvement in Letby’s trial.
Produced as a result of years of research and relationship-building, the film – simply titled The Investigation of Lucy Letby – is described as being the most ‘comprehensive’ look at one of Britain’s most notorious crimes, and traces developments from her arrest to trial in chronological order.
Viewers will be given ‘unparalleled and exclusive access’ to those central to the story.
“This was an exceptional and demanding project, marked by significant creative and ethical responsibility,” commented director, Dominic Sivyer. “Our aim was to craft a powerful, emotionally resonant depiction of the events surrounding the case.”
Caroline Short, Head of Global TV at ITN Productions – who produced the documentary – added: “The access to all our contributors came with a huge responsibility to present everyone’s perspectives with care and understanding.
“We are grateful to all those people who trusted us to tell their story.”
Daisy Jackson -
30th January 2023 
