A police officer has been given a final written warning after attempting to engage in ‘sexting’ with a woman.

Police Constable William Woolston, of Central Specialist Crime was found to have committed gross misconduct following a hearing on September 3.

It had been alleged that during the course of making arrangements to return a laptop to a female, PC Woolston’s comments (contained in texts and emails) were flirtatious, contained sexual innuendo and/or were otherwise inappropriate.

He appeared to have attempted to encourage the woman to engage in ‘sexting’ with him.

PC Woolston faced allegations that he had breached the standards of professional behaviour in relation to authority, respect and courtesy and discreditable conduct.

At the hearing, chair Tapan Debnath and panel members - Detective Superintendents Mark Broome and Bernard Nawrat - considered all of the evidence and found PC Woolston to have breached the standards of professional behaviour at the level of gross misconduct.