Police officer, 56, who groomed two vulnerable single mothers and had sex with one while on duty avoids jail

Erling Leask has avoided jail for grooming two vulnerable mothers while he was a police officer

A police officer who groomed two vulnerable single mothers and had sex with one when he was on duty has avoided jail.

Erling Leask, 56, had a consensual sexual relationship over several months with one woman whom he was supposed to be helping, sometimes visiting her twice a day, Newcastle Crown Court heard. 

He made similar advances to another vulnerable woman and after he got her phone number - for work reasons - he later messaged her to say she looked nice and that he 'fancied her', the sentencing judge was told. 

Leask, of Cowgate, Newcastle, admitted two counts of misconduct in a public office in relation to inappropriately contacting the women in the early 2000s when he worked as a neighbourhood PC for Northumbria Police.  

Judge Julie Clemitson handed him a 20-month jail sentence, suspended for two years, and ordered him to carry out 50 days of rehabilitation and 100 hours of unpaid work. 

One day when he saw the woman out and about, he invited her to a local park to talk, and although she felt uneasy, she agreed.

It was there Leask kissed her on the lips - something the woman did not expect or consent to, the court heard.

In relation to this, Leask admitted indecent assault.

Leask faced disciplinary proceedings in 2002 about this incident and he was moved on from his beat, but was not prosecuted.

He left the force in the mid-2000s.

Leask, 56, had a consensual sexual relationship over several months with one woman whom he was supposed to be helping, sometimes visiting her twice a day, heard Newcastle Crown Court

The second victim made a statement that was read to the court, saying she lost trust in the police after he kissed her without consent.

Leask served in the Army in the Falklands and Northern Ireland before he joined the police, the court heard.

Nicholas Lane, defending, said he had caring responsibilities for two of his six adult children, and he had recently been widowed.

A pre-sentence report stated there was a low risk of him re-offending. 

There was a 'dereliction of duties' as Leask was pursuing both women when he was supposed to be serving the public, the judge said.

She said of his second victim: 'She looked to you for help.

'You were aware of her personal circumstances and just how vulnerable she was.'

The judge gave him credit for his guilty pleas, his Army career, the personal tragedies he and his wife had suffered and his on-going caring responsibilities.

Superintendent Steve Ammari, head of the Professional Standards Department at Northumbria Police, said: 'First and foremost, we want to recognise the courage of the victims who came forward in this case.

'Former officer Erling Leask abused his position of trust and we want to make it clear his behaviour was completely unacceptable.

'He has not worked for the Force for 15 years, and we want to reassure the public that his actions are in no way representative of the officers and staff who every single day display the highest levels of professionalism and commitment to the communities we are proud to serve.'