British cop who kept his job despite harassing his WPc ex-girlfriend is given a 20-week jail term - after he did it again



A police officer who was allowed to keep his job after harassing his cop ex-girlfriend has been handed a 20-week jail term - after he did it again.

Sergeant John Mizen, 34, was ordered to carry out 120 hours of community service in 2009 over his behaviour towards PC Michelle Lacey.

The acting sergeant told his ex-lover - the mum of his twin girls - that he would ruin her life after they split up when she discovered he was having an affair.

Mizen also dug up Michelle's garden, claimed he had given her an STD and called her a 'fat b***h', a court heard.

Despite being slapped with a restraining order, he was allowed to keep his job. But seven years on, he has been convicted of the same thing.

Mizen, who works at Trinity Road police station in Bristol, admitted one count of harassment at Bristol Crown Court on Friday.

Bristol Crown Court heard he has was separated from his wife Gemma when he went to their former marital home and found her in bed with another men.

He took her phone and sent messages to her family and friends pretending to be her and telling them she was having an affair, it was said.

He also set up a fake Facebook account to send messages claiming his wife was meeting men for sex and bombarded her with 3,000 texts between last November and May this year.

The dad, of Bristol, was handed a 20-week jail sentence on Friday but has already served it on remand.

Avon and Somerset Constabulary confirmed that Mizen is currently on suspension and a fresh misconduct process will begin immediately.

Judge Michael Longman told Mizen: 'It was appalling behaviour, falling far, far short of what is expected of any partner or any husband, particularly when they are a serving police officer.'

James Haskell, prosecuting, said Mizen was in a relationship with Gemma for five years and they were married for a year.

Mr Haskell said: 'The relationship was something of a roller coaster.  'It's clear the relationship deteriorated as things became more strained between them.' The couple separated in November last year, the court heard.

The dad, of Bristol, was handed a 20-week jail sentence on Friday but has already served it on remand

But Mr Haskell said 'jealous' Mizen would often check his estranged wife's phone and bombarded her with messages.

Some were for legitimate reasons but the persistent contact became unwarranted and harassing, the court was told, although the texts were not threatening.

Mr Haskell said that after the confrontation over the other man in January, Mizen sent messages to Gemma's friends and family which 'were plainly designed to humiliate her'.

In May Mizen set up a false Facebook account in the name of Adam Adams, using it to send messages to himself stating that his estranged wife was meeting men for sex.

The court was told the conduct bore a striking resemblance to Mizen's previous conviction for harassing a former partner.

Mr Haskell said that in that case, he set up a false account with classified advertising site Trade-It, claiming that his ex was giving away items, which resulted in her being deluged with calls.

It was said he set up a false Friends Reunited profile and accessed her computer to cancel courses she had booked, causing her significant inconvenience and distress.

Rupert Lowe, defending, said that violence had neither been threatened nor used by Mizen.

He said his client had lost his home and his job and had a 'particularly difficult' time remanded in prison, due to being a policeman.

Mr Lowe said: 'He will start again with literally nothing. He thinks he will have to declare himself bankrupt. It will not be an easy start.

'That will weigh on him. He will understand the importance of avoiding the high emotion which has led to the acts which constitute this offence. 'I ask for an appropriate custodial sentence to be passed.'

Superintendent Richard Corrigan, head of professional standards for Avon and Somerset police, said: 'This is a serious offence involving a police officer.

'We, along with the public, expect the highest level of professionalism and conduct from all officers and staff at all times. 'Now the criminal proceedings have come to a conclusion, the misconduct process will begin immediately.

'It would, therefore, be inappropriate for me to comment further at this time.'

Original report here


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