A Merseyside detective who made repeated sexual advances to vulnerable victims of domestic abuse was told he faces a “significant” prison sentence.
Michael McMillan, 32, abused his position as a member of the force’s Family Crime Investigation Unit by contacting five women for his own “sexual purposes”.
The detective constable, of Victoria Road, Crosby , appeared at Liverpool Crown Court today where he admitted willful misconduct in a public office.
Judge Clement Goldstone, QC, said: “These women were each victims of domestic abuse.
“The Crown’s case it seems is based principally on the breach of trust between the officer, who was specially skilled and trained in dealing with matters of domestic abuse, and the vulnerability of the victims in question.”
McMillan pleaded guilty to five counts of neglecting to perform his pubic duty and misconducting himself.
According to the charges, he “willfully and without reasonable excuse or justification” misconducted himself “in a way which amounted to an abuse of the public’s trust in the office holder by persistently making contact with victims of crime for your own sexual purposes”.
McMillan, with short black hair and wearing a grey suit, white shirt and blue tie in the dock, spoke only to enter his pleas.
Andrew McInnes, prosecuting, said the Crown had agreed to accept not guilty pleas from McMillan in relation to two further complainants, who were witnesses to domestic abuse.
Judge Goldstone said: “It is a merciful approach if I may say so, because it is difficult to see how the activities the defendant undertook with the witnesses could have been other than misconduct.”
David Temkin, defending, asked for an adjournment for a psychiatric report, which he said may affect the length of sentence.
He said McMillan suffers from bipolar disorder and is under the care of a consultant psychiatrist, having previously been unfit for interview on a number of occasions.
Judge Goldstone adjourned sentencing until March 11.
He remanded McMillan on bail, with the condition that he does not contact any of his victims.
The judge said: “Mr Temkin is right to acknowledge the inevitability of a significant sentence of imprisonment.”
Source: http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/