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A North Yorkshire Police officer who sent a photo of his genitals to a woman while off-duty has been dismissed.

James Spencer sent the "unsolicited image" to his victim on 10 September last year, causing her "distress", misconduct proceedings against him ruled.

Mr Spencer was said to have apologised to the woman and shown remorse for his actions.

But a hearing at police headquarters in Northallerton on Thursday found the officer guilty of gross misconduct.

A notice of the proceedings, published by North Yorkshire Police, told how Mr Spencer could not have been in any doubt the image was "unwanted", after the woman's "rejection of his offer to send it".

It said that he sent the photo with "view once" enabled, which demonstrated his "intention to avoid being detected".

The notice, signed by Chief Constable Tim Forber, said "sexual impropriety" by police officers was a matter of "significant national concern".

It said "harm" had been caused to the woman, "who has been made to feel very uncomfortable and the misconduct has undoubtedly caused her distress".

It added that although Mr Spencer had been "genuinely remorseful" and had been "experiencing personal difficulties" at the time, "there is no place in policing for officers who commit misconduct of this nature".

There was no mention of how long Mr Spencer had been a police officer or his record, though it said the incident was a "single episode of misconduct".

He will be barred from serving as a police officer in future.

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