Former West Yorkshire Police officer charged with misconduct in public office

A former West Yorkshire Police officer is due to make his first appearance in court charged with three counts of misconduct in public office, following an investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).

A hearing for former PC Declan Middleton, who was assigned to the Bradford District Safeguarding Domestic Abuse Team, is due to take place at Leeds Magistrates Court on Thursday 1 June.

Between May 2020 and October 2021, he is alleged to have started an inappropriate relationship with a woman he met and attempted to pursue relationships with two other women during the course of his duties.

We began our investigation in January 2021 following a referral from the force, who had been contacted by a woman making a complaint. In March 2022, we completed our investigation and sent our final report and a file of evidence to the Crown Prosecution Service, which authorised the charges.