Met police officer sacked after being found guilty of stalking women

A Metropolitan Police officer has been sacked after being convicted of stalking, voyeurism and controlling or coercive behaviour against women.

Jake Cummings, 25, from Hemel Hempstead, was found guilty of three counts of controlling or coercive behaviour and two counts of voyeurism against three women on October 9.

Cummings was also found guilty of one count of stalking, involving two complainants, and previously pleaded guilty to two counts of the same offence.

The former police officer was also on trial for two counts of rape but the jury at St Albans Crown Court were unable to reach a verdict on those two counts, the Crown Prosecution Service said.

A misconduct hearing chaired by Assistant Commissioner Phillippa Mills found Cummings had committed gross misconduct and he was dismissed without notice.

In her findings from the hearing, which took place on October 16, Ms Mills wrote: “It is entirely unacceptable for police officers who are responsible for enforcing the law, to break the law themselves.

“Doing so undermines public trust and confidence in policing as well as our reputation. The public could not have confidence in Pc Cummings to protect them or others, or properly investigate crimes.

“A lesser outcome would not serve to mark the seriousness of his misconduct, deter others from similar misconduct and fulfil the purpose of the police misconduct regime.

“The only outcome I consider appropriate is dismissal without notice.”

The offences, which occurred between July 2019 and February this year, include Cummings watching one of the victims using security cameras.

The jury at his trial at St Albans Crown Court previously heard Cummings used phone apps called Life360 and Team Viewer to track the first complainant’s location, as well as creating multiple social media accounts to message her, and driving down the road where she lived uninvited.