Ex-police sergeant jailed for misconduct over bullying and suspect images

Former Cambridgeshire police sergeant Paul Street was sentenced to four years in prison on Wednesday for misconduct in public office, following a trial that exposed a toxic culture of bullying and inappropriate conduct within his unit. The sentence was handed down at the Old Bailey in London. Street, 41, was found guilty in June of two charges of misconduct in public office. The court heard that he encouraged colleagues to bully a teenage detainee and, in a separate incident, requested intimate images of a female suspect from a junior officer. His actions led to investigations into 11 other officers, resulting in two resignations, one dismissal for gross misconduct, and various warnings. The misconduct occurred while Street led a team at Cambourne Police Station, which focused on county lines drug supply and organised crime. In April 2020, Street sent WhatsApp messages urging his team to bully 17-year-old detainee Robiul Islam, telling them to "hit him" and "smash his head in". In the autumn of 2020, PC Josh Williams examined a female suspect's phone and told Street she was "quite fit".