Ex-police officer guilty of five counts of sexual assault on cadets, as alarm raised after 'inappropriate behaviour' with boy
24 April 2023, 15:32 | Updated: 24 April 2023, 15:35
A former police officer has been found guilty of five counts of sexual assault and fifteen counts of misconduct on cadets, as the force apologised.
Listen to this article
Loading audio...
The charges against PC Adnan Ali, 36, of Greater Manchester police, related to incidents between 2015 and 2018.
The incidents involved young men and women enrolled on GMP’s volunteer police cadet scheme.
Ali was arrested and suspended in October 2018, after police received a complaint that he had been behaving inappropriately with a 16-year-old boy.
Officers seized Ali's electronic devices and uncovered thousands of messages and more victims. He was charged in July 2021. He was fired from the force in 2022, when the gross misconduct charges against her were proven.
Assistant chief constable Colin McFarlane said: “Whilst Ali is responsible for committing these crimes, no one should be subjected to crime or misconduct during their contact with police officers and staff, like these young people were – for that, and in acknowledgement that Ali could have been better supervised and managed, we are sorry.
"My thanks go to the victims and witnesses who bravely supported the prosecution which secured today’s verdict. Though trials are a fundamental part of the criminal justice system, the impact they can have on those involved and with whom cases resonate is not underestimated. We will ensure they are supported for as long as they need.
"Alongside the criminal and misconduct investigations, this case initiated a full review of GMP’s Volunteer Police Cadet Scheme. With national oversight, improvements have been and are continuing to be implemented to ensure cadet leaders are the role models they are expected to be and that they do not pose a risk to anyone.
Chief Superintendent Mike Allen, head of GMP’s professional standards branch, said that the "verdict will do nothing to ease the public’s concerns about police misconduct".
He added: "However, Ali represents the very worst and the minority in policing - he is among a very small percentage who discredit the police service and undermine trust and confidence in it.
"These individuals are being rooted and booted out by exemplary colleagues reporting their behaviour, investigating allegations, building cases against them, and playing a crucial role in proceedings to ensure they face the full force of the criminal justice system and have the many privileges of working in policing taken from them.
"Following national direction to all forces, the Force Vetting Unit is currently re-vetting all GMP officers and staff to ensure those who are wearing the force uniform and that those who have applied to do so are fit to serve the public. However, efforts don’t stop there.
"Whilst the assessment teams review complaints and allegations, the investigation teams and misconduct proceedings unit work together to secure the best criminal and misconduct outcomes, as a covert unit work under cover in amongst the workforce to stop corrupt officers and staff in their tracks.
"Though ensuring all employees behave with the highest standards of professional behaviour won’t be completed overnight, the people of Greater Manchester, the thousands of exemplary GMP officers and staff, and the force’s trusting stakeholders have my guarantee that, with my oversight of Professional Standards, the branch will do everything in its power to ensure the Code of Ethics is upheld to protect public trust and confidence in our ability to deliver outstanding service."
Crime can be reported via gmp.police.uk or 101. In an emergency, always dial 999.
GMP’s Professional Standards Branch can be contacted via the force’s website: Complaints | Greater Manchester Police (gmp.police.uk).
Reports can also be made anonymously via Crimestoppers - Independent UK charity taking crime information anonymously | Crimestoppers (crimestoppers-uk.org) or 0800 555 111.
