A Met police constable has confessed to sleeping with a suicidal woman during a welfare visit to her home.
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Married PC Philip Hunter, 58, first tried to kiss the 38-year-old mother weeks after being sent to her property because she was struggling to cope after her brother killed himself. He told her: "Come here you, you need a hug."

Hunter and a partner had been sent to do a welfare check on the Woman as she was suicidal. ⠀

Paramedics warned the woman, who threatened to hang herself, posed a "significant risk". Her brother had killed himself. Later the woman, referred to as Ms X, felt reassured having spoken to PC Hunter, who gave details about his own bereavements and told her: "You have so much to live for, you are beautiful."

On leaving, PC Hunter, who has never been arrested or accused of an offence, said to her: "Come here you, you need a hug," and told her to contact him if she needed help. He later suggested they meet at her home.

Upon his arrival, Ms X said she realised he was not there in his capacity as an officer. The report says: "He asked her to close her eyes and he kissed her on the lips. Hunter then started to undo her blouse and bra but Ms X asked him to stop, which he did."

The officer left but over the following weekend sent Ms X a sexually explicit picture. PC Hunter then asked her to send him a naked picture which she declined. But they continued to have regular sex in her home "either before or after his shifts". Ms X tried to break off the relationship in October 2017 when PC Hunter told her he was married.
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Hunter is among hundreds of officers to have faced sexual misconduct claims in recent years.

Scotland Yard has been rocked by a series of scandals involving serving police officers. Just between January and May this year, Eighteen sexual offences were recorded against Met officers.

An investigation by the Standard found that many disciplinary hearings for officers alleged to have abused their position for sexual purposes are held behind closed doors and the results left not published.

However, last month, Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick unveiled an action plan to tackle violence against women and girls by police officers. The Met has now launched a new investigation into PC Hunter's misconduct.