Police officer jailed after relationship with vulnerable teenager

A police officer who had a sexual relationship with a vulnerable teenager he met on duty has been jailed.

Former PC Gavin Donaldson, 45, from Midlothian, was given a 14 month sentence for attempting to pervert the course of justice.

He admitted telling the woman to delete thousands of messages they exchanged that were evidence of the relationship.

He also told her not to hand over her phone to anti-corruption officers who were investigating his behaviour.

Donaldson, who was based at Dalkeith police station, pled guilty at an earlier hearing.

Edinburgh Sheriff Court heard he met the woman when she was a teenage victim of serious crime.

Despite being aware of her vulnerabilities, he began a relationship which lasted until November 2020 when he was suspended from duty.

Justin Farrell, who heads the Crown Office's specialist criminal allegations against the police division, said: "Gavin Donaldson abused his respected position as a police officer.

"A woman who trusted him to provide professional help and support found herself being manipulated by him and encouraged to cover up his entirely inappropriate behaviour.

"I commend this woman's bravery in speaking out about Donaldson's actions."