Greater Manchester Police officer accused of relationship with ‘vulnerable' domestic abuse victim

A GMP officer has been accused of forming a relationship with a domestic abuse victim who he met on duty, a misconduct hearing has been told. PC Dean Birkhead did not inform anyone at the force about the relationship, according to GMP during a hearing on Monday (July 3).

The serving officer who is based in Stockport has also been accused of hiding his phone in a wall and providing inaccurate information when investigated. He is now answering allegations that his actions amounted to gross misconduct.

He denies the allegations, but does not dispute claims he contacted and met the woman – who has not been named – outside of work. PC Birkhead and the woman referred to as Female A contacted each other 878 times over four months, according to GMP, including sending photos of themselves together.

One photo appears to show the pair with their arms around each other at a football match between Manchester City and Newcastle United in January 2019, the misconduct hearing was told. According to GMP, Female A spent the night in a Travelodge in Newcastle with the booking made by PC Birkhead.

It comes after Female A called 999 on December 7, 2018 about a domestic incident involving her husband. When PC Birkhead later visited her with a member of police staff, she said she was convinced her husband would kill her.

But following the visit on December 9, when the officer finished his shift, he started to exchange text messages with Female A. He is accused of using his work-issued phone while on duty to pursue a relationship with the woman.

The ‘vulnerable’ victim of domestic abuse sent pictures of herself to the police officer on several occasions over the course of that month, according to GMP. Representing the force, barrister Cameron Scott told a misconduct hearing that by January, the communication between the pair had moved ‘way beyond the professional’ and was ‘becoming flirtatious’ with a ‘sexual element’ to it.

He said: “At no stage did the officer mention to his manager or indeed to anyone else at Greater Manchester Police that he was involved in a relationship with Female A or any issues regarding a possible relationship with Female A. It was all kept out of sight of Greater Manchester Police.”

PC Birkhead was arrested while on a course in September 2019 after the matter was referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC). However, the officer has been accused of hiding his mobile phone from investigators by leaving it in a gap in the wall where he had been sitting.

When asked where his phone was, PC Birkhead told the investigating officers that it was at home, according to Mr Scott. The officer has also been accused of providing inaccurate information about his relationship with Female A.

Mr Scott said: “The authority’s case is that officer Birkhead formed a relationship with a victim of domestic abuse, contacted her with his work-issued phone while on duty without, we say, having a policing purpose to do so and he also pursued an emotional and sexual relationship with her.”

Representing PC Birkhead, barrister Ben Summers said that the allegations of gross misconduct are denied. The ‘factual allegations’ are not disputed – although there are ‘some points of disagreement’, Mr Summers said.

The misconduct hearing will continue on Tuesday (July 4).