February 2021 Judge lifts order on ex-PCSO who groomed girl of 13 A judge has lifted an order which banned a former police support officer from Newton Abbot from contacting children after hearing that he has stayed out of trouble for a decade since leaving prison. Daniel King, aged 35, from Newton Abbot, was jailed for 20 months in 2009 for grooming and having sexual activity with a 13-year-old girl who he met through his work with the police. He exceeded his powers by ‘patting her down’ and later sent her texts telling her he loved her. They engaged in sexual activity after they met again and he drove her to Teignmouth. A Sexual Offences Prevention Order was imposed when he was sentenced that prohibited any contact with females under 16. King applied successfully to Exeter Crown Court to have the order lifted. A report from his offender manager said he has made excellent progress since his release from prison in 2010. He had acknowledged his earlier offending, gone on courses to address his behaviour, and stayed out of any sort of trouble. He is no longer considered as posing a risk of reoffending. Judge Peter Johnson lifted the order and told King: ‘I am entirely happy that under modern sentencing practice, the order would not have been indefinite. I am pleased to hear of your progress.’ In the hearing in November 2009, a different judge sitting at the same court heard how King was a police community support officer when he groomed a 13-year-old girl for sex had been jailed. He first met her when she was 12. He was on his beat when he approached her in a street when she was with a group of friends. He exceeded his PCSO powers by patting her down after telling her to remove her hoodie top, socks and shoes. He also sent her texts saying he ‘found her attractive and loved her and she had a nice body’. He drove her to Teignmouth in March 2006 where he touched her inappropriately. He resigned as a police community support officer with the Devon and Cornwall Police. November 2009 Officer groomed teenager for sex A police community support officer from Devon who groomed a 13-year-old girl for sex has been jailed. Daniel King, 24, first met the girl when she was 12 while he was on his beat, Exeter Crown Court heard. King, of Newton Abbot, admitted sexual activity with a child and inciting a child to engage in sexual activity. He was jailed for 20 months, placed on the sex offenders’ register for life and banned from having contact with under-16s when he leaves prison. The court heard that King, who has since resigned his position as a police community support officer (PCSO) for Devon and Cornwall Police, drove the girl to Teignmouth in March 2006 where he touched her inappropriately. The court was told that later he approached her in a street when she was with her friends and exceeded his PCSO powers by patting her down after telling her to remove her hoodie top, socks and shoes. He also sent her texts saying “he found her attractive and loved her and she had a nice body”, the court heard. It was also revealed in court that King had previously been disciplined for stalking female police colleagues and sending them texts of a sexual nature. The court was told a tribunal had found him guilty of gross misconduct and he was served with a harassment notice and given a written warning but was allowed to return as a PCSO. Judge Phillip Wassall told the court that King was immature, had developed “some sort of fantasy” and used his police position to exploit his teenage victim. A spokesperson for Devon and Cornwall Police said: “This kind of conduct by officers and staff is extremely rare. “Devon and Cornwall Constabulary treat all allegations of this nature, very seriously and swift robust action will always be taken.”