Former West Mercia PC Mark Cranfield charged with misconduct

Former police officer Mark Cranfield, 50, faces four charges:

• Holder of a public office wilful neglected to perform duty/wilfully misconducted himself. 

That charge is alleged to have taken place between October 27, 2018, and May 2, 2019, the alleged misconduct being Cranfield: "Misconducted yourself in a way which amounted to an abuse of the public's trust by sending a private image from your force phone - sending a friend request to a witness and inappropriate contact with her".

• Three charges of causing a computer to perform function to secure/enable unauthorised access to a program/data. 

The prosecution alleges those offences took place on September 9, 2018, November 22, 2018 and May 1, 2019. 

FORMER OFFICER: Mark Cranfield leaving Worcester Magistrates Court (Image: Sam Greenway/Newsquest)

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The charges arise from an IOPC investigation following a referral about the officer’s conduct from West Mercia Police in July 2021.

At Worcester Magistrates Court on Thursday, (June 1), Cranfield spoke only to confirm his details and did not enter a plea. 

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District Judge David Guy Wain told Cranfield to attend Birmingham Crown Court for the next hearing of the case on June 29. 

The defendant was given unconditional bail. 

Melanie Winterflood prosecuted during the hearing, Jamie Simner defending Cranfield of Bromfield, Ludlow in Shropshire.