Former officer convicted of misconduct in public office

A former Cheshire police officer has today, Thursday 1 February 2024, been convicted of misconduct in public office.

 Jordan Masterson was found guilty of the charge following a  trial at Chester Crown Court.

The 27-year-old, of Townsend Road, Liverpool,  is set to be sentenced at Chester Crown Court on Wednesday 20 March.

The case against Masterson began on Tuesday 28 December 2021 after Cheshire Police received a report that he had sex with a woman while responding to an incident in Widnes.

Masterson was arrested within hours of the report and the incident was referred to the Independent Office of Police Conduct (IOPC), who took over the investigation. He was subsequently charged with misconduct in public office.

Following his arrest Masterson was immediately suspended from duty; he later resigned from the force.

Cheshire Constabulary Deputy Chief Constable Chris Armitt said:

“I welcome the outcome of this case and hope the verdict reached today will provide some reassurance to the woman in this case and the wider public.

“As soon as we became aware of the allegations, we acted swiftly to arrest Masterson and he was immediately suspended from duty.

“During the investigation, it became clear that Masterson had taken advantage of a vulnerable victim of crime.

“Not only that, but he also purposefully turned off his body camera and destroyed evidence to hide his offending.

“Thankfully, he has now been held accountable for his actions.”

Masterson resigned from Cheshire Police in June 2022 – prior to an Accelerated Misconduct Hearing. 

At the hearing Masterson was found to have committed gross misconduct and would have been sacked had he not resigned. He has been added to the College of Policing Barred List, meaning he will never work in policing again.

DCC Armitt concluded:

“While I understand the concern that this case may cause, the overwhelming majority of our officers are professional, dedicated individuals who act with integrity and work hard to keep Cheshire safe.

“We actively enforce the highest standards of integrity and professionalism, and I want to reassure anyone who turns to us for help, or who finds themselves in need of our assistance, can be completely confident that they will be treated with the courtesy, respect and professionalism they deserve.”