A police officer with a starring role in a TV show has been barred after having a sexual relationship with a vulnerable woman he met on duty, sending her 250 messages in a day.
PC Ben Burgess appeared in the third series of Channel 5 fly-on-the-wall show 'Inside the Force: 24/7' in 2024, which followed Cleveland Police officers on the beat.
Burgess, who resigned while facing a string of allegations about his relationship with the woman, referred to only as Ms A, failed to show at a misconduct hearing last Monday (August 10).
It ruled the officer, whose TV role saw him responding to incidents in Middlesbrough and assisting plain-clothes officers during a crackdown on drug-related offences, was guilty of gross misconduct.
A panel found he had entered into an inappropriate sexual relationship with the woman, a "vulnerable victim" of domestic abuse, having been called to her home about a vehicle reported stolen in July 2024.
Former Cleveland PC Ben Burgess on Channel 5's Inside the Force: 24/7
(Image: PR)
The panel said there was "nothing untoward" about his actions during that initial interaction.
But Ms A contacted him on Facebook, the pair exchanged personal numbers, and their relationship became sexual, and messages from his phone showed an "intimate/romantic relationship" developing between the pair.
The panel rejected Ms A's account that there had been no flirty or sexual relationship, saying it was contradicted by a "large number of text messages" and Burgess' own admissions.
Burgess approached an inspector two weeks after meeting her to seek advice, saying he had attended an incident involving someone he previously knew, she had added him on Facebook, they had started chatting, and she had asked him out.
The inspector advised him to speak to the Professional Standards Department because the relationship could be an inappropriate one.
But the following day, a detective sergeant was told there had "already been a level of sexual communication".
The panel said Burgess had not previously disclosed this when speaking to the inspector.
He was placed on restricted duties and told not to have any further contact with Ms A but kept communicating with her.
He met with her one night and exchanged around 250 messages with her the following day.
Former Cleveland PC Ben Burgess on Channel 5's Inside the Force: 24/7
(Image: PR)
The misconduct panel also said Burgess failed to report a series of offences and concerns disclosed to him by Ms A, including her allegations her former partner "batters" and "choked" their son.
He was also told she had an XL Bully dog and was sent photographs showing her children not wearing seatbelts, and her using a mobile phone while driving.
The panel said he did nothing about the concerns, describing the potential assault of children as "a very serious matter", and only sent an emoji.
Burgess had received training on abuse of position for a sexual purpose in November 2021 and May 2022, the panel said, which specifically identified domestic abuse victims as being particularly vulnerable.
The panel said Burgess "displayed no regard to the guidance or his training".
They added that he was in a position of trust, had been specifically trained on the issue, continued the conduct after it had been highlighted as wrong and acted against a specific order not to contact Ms A.
It also said his actions caused potential emotional harm to Ms A, potential physical harm to children and potential harm to the wider community.
It also said the conduct had the potential to cause "a great deal of damage to the reputation of the police in general".
Former Cleveland police man, Ben Burgess, who appeared on a Channel 5's Inside the Force has been barred after pursuing a sexual relationship with a 'vulnerable victim'.
(Image: PR)
The panel concluded the breaches were so serious they amounted to gross misconduct.
It said dismissal without notice would have been the appropriate outcome had Mr Burgess remained an officer.
Temporary Detective Chief Inspector Rachel Callender, from Cleveland Police's Professional Standards Department, said: 'We expect all officers, staff and volunteers to uphold the highest standards of integrity and professionalism at all times.
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“Any abuse of a position of trust, particularly where it involves vulnerable people, represents a serious breach of the values and standards expected within policing and undermines public confidence.
“The actions of this former officer are not representative of the overwhelming majority of Cleveland Police officers and staff, who serve our communities with dedication, professionalism and integrity every day.
“The panel's finding of gross misconduct, and determination that this former officer would have been dismissed had he remained in service, sends a clear message that such behaviour is wholly unacceptable and has no place in policing."