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Ex–West Yorkshire Detective Jailed for Sex Assault and Misconduct

The case underscores a breach of trust by a safeguarding officer that raises questions about police oversight.

Overview

  • Patrick Banks, who was sentenced Wednesday at Sheffield Crown Court, received three years in prison, a seven-year restraining order, and lifetime sex-offender registration.
  • He admitted two counts of misconduct in public office and one count of sexual assault after targeting two women who had reported sex crimes in 2024 and 2025.
  • Prosecutors said he sent explicit messages generated with Google Translate, visited homes while off duty in his own car, and used his personal phone to contact a victim.
  • Investigators found a victim’s phone at his house and recorded only one official home visit across both cases, pointing to unrecorded contact that breached procedures.
  • West Yorkshire Police suspended him after the April 2025 report, he later resigned, a panel said he would have been dismissed, and ITV reported dozens of similar watchdog referrals across the region since 2021.