DONCASTER POLICE OFFICER STUART TRENTHAM JAILED FOR INAPPROPRIATE MESSAGES TO VULNERABLE WOMAN

Stuart Trentham, a former police officer based in Doncaster, has been sentenced to prison after engaging in a series of inappropriate and sexually charged communications with a woman under his investigation. The case was heard at Sheffield Crown Court, where it was revealed that Trentham, aged 41, had been assigned to look into a complaint made by the woman in June 2022, concerning the unauthorized posting of her private sexual images on the internet without her consent.

During the proceedings, the court was informed that Trentham had closed the investigation prematurely, citing the difficulty in identifying the individual responsible for posting the images. However, what followed was a pattern of deceit and misconduct. Trentham lied to the woman, claiming that the investigation was ongoing and that a suspect was being interviewed, all the while sending her increasingly sexualized messages via WhatsApp. These messages started off as seemingly personal but quickly escalated into inappropriate and sexual content, which the judge described as a serious breach of trust.

Judge Jeremy Richardson KC emphasized the gravity of Trentham’s misconduct, particularly noting that the officer had forwarded a link to the sexual images posted online to his personal email account from the police system. Although Trentham was unable to open the link from his personal email, the act itself was considered a significant breach of protocol and trust. The court was also told that Trentham’s behavior deteriorated further when he began to sign his messages with kisses and made explicit comments about women’s bodies, including expressing a preference for “a curvy woman” over a “stick,” and making derogatory remarks about flat, bony posteriors.

Prosecutor Joseph Bell detailed how the woman, who suffers from ADHD and severe mental health issues requiring a carer, initially blocked Trentham after his inappropriate messages. Despite this, she later unblocked him, believing he might still possess legitimate information regarding her case. Trentham’s conduct continued when he sent her a photograph of himself in police uniform with the message “working hard,” accompanied by winking and kissing emojis. Further interactions included him commenting on her tattoos, making suggestive remarks, and asking about her relationship status, indicating a desire to be “cheeky” and “naughty,” which added to the distress caused.

The court heard that the woman felt compelled to respond to Trentham’s messages, despite her discomfort, due to her trust in his role as an investigator. Her victim personal statement revealed the profound impact his actions had on her mental health, describing her as feeling “on the edge” and suffering a “catastrophic” effect. She expressed her realization that she had been exploited, stating, “I have now come to the painful realisation that I was simply a target for exploitation by him.”

In mitigation, David James, representing Trentham, expressed remorse and apologized to the woman and his former colleagues. He acknowledged that Trentham’s actions had severely damaged his reputation and career, noting that he resigned from South Yorkshire Police before a misconduct hearing could result in his dismissal. The lawyer explained that Trentham had managed to find another job but was subsequently dismissed due to the publicity surrounding the case.

Trentham, who joined the police force in 2018 and hails from Pontefract, appeared in court wearing a blue suit, white shirt, and striped tie. Throughout much of the hearing, he kept his head bowed and pleaded guilty to misconduct in a public office at an earlier hearing. Judge Richardson carefully considered whether to suspend the sentence, taking into account Trentham’s autism spectrum masking and his post-traumatic stress disorder, which stemmed from witnessing traumatic events during his service.

Despite understanding these factors, the judge emphasized that Trentham’s breach of trust was serious and that such misconduct could discourage vulnerable women from reporting crimes. He stated, “You are not a man who is irredeemably wicked but you have committed a crime that has undermined the trust the public rightly repose in the police. That’s why this crime is taken so seriously by the courts in this country.”

Concluding his remarks, Judge Richardson sentenced Trentham to nine months in prison, expressing regret that a former police officer was being sent to jail. He warned that Trentham’s actions had caused damage to public confidence and stressed the importance of accountability, stating, “You have brought this on yourself. It is a terrible day for you. It is a terrible day for the police. I hope this sentence restores some confidence the public repose in the police.”