A former Metropolitan Police constable has been found guilty of gross misconduct after pursuing a sexual relationship with a vulnerable woman he first met at Acton Police Station.
James Gage, 24 at the time of the incidents, encountered the woman, known as Ms A (23 at the time of the incidents), when she came to the station in October 2020. A misconduct panel heard that while on duty, Gage took her Instagram details and later arranged to meet her socially. Within days he booked an apartment and introduced her to a friend, during which time she reported unwanted advances.
The panel, which sat on 26–27 August 2025, found that Gage went on to have sexual intercourse with Ms A in March 2021. At the time, she was suffering from significant mental health issues, including bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, which the panel concluded should have been obvious to the officer. The hearing was told that Ms A’s vulnerability was well documented, and Gage himself had referred to her mental health in messages.
Although the Crown Prosecution Service decided not to press charges in 2022, the misconduct hearing determined that Gage’s actions represented a serious breach of the Standards of Professional Behaviour. The panel ruled that his conduct – initiating a personal relationship and having sex with a vulnerable woman he met during policing duties – “fell significantly short” of expectations and amounted to gross misconduct.
In a statement, the Metropolitan Police said: “The Panel decided former PC James Gage’s conduct amounted to Gross Misconduct, and that the outcome of the hearing would have been dismissal had the Officer still been serving. Former PC James Gage will now be added to the Barred List held by the College of Policing.”
