Febuary 2011 Cumbria police worker jailed for child sex offences A Cumbria police worker has been jailed for five years for committing a number of child sex offences. David Rooke, 51, was found guilty of engaging in sexual activity with a child and sexually assaulting a child. Rooke, a civilian detention officer based in Kendal, had earlier admitted two offences relating to a girl under 13 involving online chat rooms. Rooke, of Broad Ing, Kendal, was also placed on the sex offenders register for life at Carlisle Crown Court. The court was told both offences related to online MSN conversations between the defendant and the girl. ‘Tireless work’ He was suspended from his post in May 2009 after he was arrested by officers from Cumbria Constabulary’s public protection unit. Following sentencing, Ch Supt Paul Kennedy of Cumbria Police, said: “We are appalled at David Rooke’s actions. “We take offences of this nature extremely seriously and police officers across the county work tirelessly to ensure that sex offenders are caught and brought to justice – which is exactly what has happened in court today. “Rooke was arrested and immediately suspended from his role – the very same day that an allegation was made. “He was employed as a detention officer in Kendal police station since November 2000 and did not have any previous criminal convictions when he joined.”