Cop arrested woman for drink driving before sleeping with her and starting relationship. They're still together... but he's in prison

He blocked her on Facebook. That should have been the end of it. It wasn't

An 'inspirational' police officer has been jailed after starting a sexual relationship with a woman he was investigating.

Michael Luckett, who served Cheshire police for 10 years, has lost the 'job he has always dreamed of' after a judge said he had made a 'monumental misjudgement' and locked him up.

The pair are still together now.

The woman - Vanessa Walker - was in court when Luckett was sent down.

Luckett, 32, first met Ms Walker when he attended the scene of a crash in Warrington.

She had flipped her car while she was drunk.

Luckett arrested Ms Walker.

He then received a friend request from her on Facebook and they bonded over shared problems of depression and anxiety, Manchester Crown Court heard.

"Boundaries were blurred at a very early stage," Judge Martin Rudland said.

At one point Luckett, described by a former colleague as 'the most hardworking officer I have ever met', realised the error of his ways and reported the contact to his superiors.

They advised him to block Ms Walker and change his Facebook privacy settings, prosecutor Rachel Widdicombe said.

The force's professional standards department regarded it as an error of judgement and no further action was taken.

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"That's when it should have ended, but it didn't," the judge said.

Her case was transferred to another officer, but Luckett was still due to be a prosecution witness.

Luckett, from Warrington, contacted Ms Walker again and their relationship escalated.

They kissed on a dog walk and it became intimate as they met in hotels.

One hotel visit came on the day when Ms Walker, said to be 'vulnerable' at the time of the crash, appeared in court and was banned from driving for 20 months.

The court heard that those criminal proceedings were not compromised.

After the court hearing, Luckett told a representative from the Police Federation that he was in a relationship with Ms Walker.

Luckett was investigated and later arrested.

He tried to 'cover his tracks' by damaging his phone and bending his SIM card, the judge said.

Luckett resigned as a police officer when he pleaded guilty to an offence of misconduct in a public office.

He was later dismissed following police disciplinary proceedings.

His barrister Nicholas Walker said Luckett had dedicated a decade of his life to 'positive public service', with three-and-a-half years as a PCSO followed by six-and-a-half years as a constable.

Mr Walker said Luckett was initially 'frank' with his superiors.

"But it is clear as they fell for each other, his position was compromised to a point where this criminality took place," Mr Walker said.

A 'well liked' and 'well respected' officer described as 'inspirational', Luckett was 'unwell' at the time.

Another officer said Luckett had 'let jobs bother him', after he had attended 'horrendous' incidents including having a man die in his arms, responding to a suicide and a case involving the death of a baby.

"He wasn't in a position to take the reasoned, sound judgements that we require of police officers," Mr Walker said.

Mr Walker appealed for Luckett, of Snowberry Crescent, Warrington, to be spared jail, saying there was a realistic prospect of rehabilitation, that there was strong mitigation and that others, including Ms Walker, would suffer if he were locked up.

But in jailing Luckett for 12 months, the judge said the public expect professionalism and integrity from police officers.

"If they fail to act with that professionalism and integrity, as you failed, then the public demand that the matter is taken seriously.

"This, I'm afraid, is something from which you cannot walk away from."

After the hearing, Detective Chief Inspector Alison Ross, deputy head of Cheshire Constabulary’s Professional Standards Department, said: "As a serving officer, Luckett held a position of trust and swore an oath in which he promised to abide by the clear guidelines about the standards expected from him.

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"Sadly, despite the fact that he was well aware of these standards, he chose to ignore them and engaged in a sexual relationship with a vulnerable woman in a case he was supposed to be managing.

"His personal behaviour was totally inappropriate for a serving police officer.

"While Luckett pleaded guilty and has now resigned from the force, that does not in any way excuse his behaviour and I hope that the outcome of this case reassures the public by demonstrating that nobody is above the law, no matter what position they hold."

Deputy Chief Constable Julie Cooke added: "It is essential that the people of Cheshire have both confidence and trust in the service we deliver.

"We actively promote the highest standards of personal and professional behaviour and integrity to all officers and staff.

"I want to ensure that anyone who turns to us for help, or who finds themselves in need of our assistance, can be completely confident that they will be treated with the courtesy, respect and professionalism they deserve.

"Unfortunately, in this case Luckett’s behaviour fell well below the level expected of a serving officer and he grossly undermined the privileged position that his role as a member of Cheshire Constabulary demands and expects."