A police officer who engaged in sexual activity with a child has been sacked.

Michael Grigg was jailed in December 2020 after he was convicted of two counts of penetrative sexual activity with a child.

Grigg, who used to work for Hertfordshire Constabulary, was sentenced to six and a half years behind bars following a trial at Harrow Crown Court and was also given a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for life.

Chief Constable Charlie Hall described Grigg’s actions as “outrageous” and a “serious breach of trust”.

He said: “Grigg’s actions are so enormously serious that he has been sentenced to six-and-a-half-years in prison.  His conduct has been outrageous and damaging for the constabulary and the confidence so many of us work so hard to build and maintain amongst the public. 

“His conduct is a million miles away from what is acceptable or expected of police officers and he has proven himself to be a disgrace to his colleagues and the profession.”

The offences took place between 2007 and 2012 and the victim, who was under 16, reported Grigg to police in 2019.

During a misconduct hearing on Monday, March 15, Grigg’s actions were found to have amounted to gross misconduct and he was dismissed from the force without notice.

Grigg, formerly of Hatfield, was also placed on the barred list with the College of Policing.

Chief Constable Hall said: “(Grigg) abused this trust in the most appalling way against all moral and ethical standards, committing criminal acts, at a time when he was required to uphold the highest standards. 

“He is entirely culpable for his actions; he, and he alone, chose to do this and to do this knowingly.

"It is entirely unacceptable for officers to break the law.  He has used his professional position to initiate sexual relations with a vulnerable person, a child, which is a most outrageous and serious breach of trust, so serious that in the view of the Crown Court to justify a lengthy prison sentence.”