Married TV cop who starred on Channel 5 show ‘had sex with vulnerable colleague before telling her to lie about affair’
A MARRIED TV cop who starred on a Channel 5 show allegedly had sex with a “vulnerable” colleague before telling her to lie about their affair.
PC Paul Faulkner – known to fans of Police Interceptors by his nickname “Mustard” – has been accused of gross misconduct by Cleveland Police.
The dad-of-two is said to have started a sexual relationship with a female cop, referred to as “Officer A”, while he was supposed to be supporting her as a Police Federation rep.
He met the woman while she was under investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct.
She went on sick leave and it was PC Faulkner’s role to make sure her interests were looked after.
But he allegedly slipped her his phone number and embarked on a fling with his fellow copper, before lying to bosses to cover his tracks.
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PC Faulkner – who is married to a serving officer – is also accused of urging her to lie if she was ever asked about their affair.
The policeman now faces a disciplinary hearing after being accused of breaching professional standards.
Cleveland Police claim his behaviour amounts to gross misconduct which, if proved, will likely lead to him being sacked.
The dad was part of the joint Durham and Cleveland Road Policing Unit which was catapulted to national fame by the Channel 5 show between 2015 and 2018.
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In one action-packed episode in December 2017, his car was rammed by two robbers on a dual carriageway flyover high above a river.
Luckily a barrier prevented him and his colleague from plunging 66ft into the water below.
In another episode, he took the lead in a dangerous high-speed pursuit before the suspects finally ditched the car and hid in the undergrowth.
PC Faulkner became a firm favourite with fans and relished in the limelight, sharing pictures of himself signing autographs on Twitter.
His Police Interceptors profile describes him as an operational firearms commander, lists his favourite sportsman as Jenson Button and his guilty pleasure as ballroom dancing.
The married cop met Officer A when he was working with the Police Federation and was present when she was served disciplinary papers in September 2019.
She went on sick leave two months later and he became her official Federation representative, after allegedly giving her his number via social media.
AFFAIR ALLEGATIONS
The pair then allegedly began a relationship that became sexual, despite Faulkner insisting there was “nothing going on” to his superior.
Cleveland Police allege that his “role placed him in a position of responsibility” and “he knew or ought to have known that she was vulnerable at the material time.”
PC Faulkner is also accused of lying to bosses about the relationship and urging the female cop to also lie if she was asked about it.
In April 2020 PC Faulkner posed for a local paper with his wife Jane, also a serving cop, and their children as they spoke of the effects of the pandemic on front line staff.
At the time, he said: “It’s such a difficult time for many families, and with us both being key workers we’re having to manage our time differently now and it does have an impact.
“We’ve seen real praise from local people who are genuinely thankful for the work that we do, and it does give us a real boost.
“I’ve offered to volunteer to help other services in my free time as I
think anything extra you can do to help at the moment is a positive
step.”
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Jane, a response officer in Stockton, said: “We’ve all had to make some changes and sacrifices in our personal lives, but being able to help on the frontline makes it all worth it.”
PC Faulkner faces a disciplinary hearing in Stockton on Tuesday.