A FORMER Camborne Redruth PCSO has been jailed for seven years for sleeping with women while on duty and for using the police database as a "dating agency".
Divorced father of two Peter Bunyan, 40, had affairs with four vulnerable women before and during his policing shifts and used the Criminal Information System to track down the phone numbers and addresses of women on his beat.
He was found guilty of eight counts of misconduct in public office, following a three-week trial at Taunton Crown Court.
On Tuesday, Judge Graham Hume Jones told Bunyan he had taken advantage of his profession, and jailed him for seven years – four years for his affairs and three years for the passing of information gained from the police database.
He was also given a three-year sentence for the wrongful use of a computer and 18 months for sexual texting, both to be served concurrently.
The judge said: "You took advantage of your professional relationships and having heard that evidence I am satisfied that you targeted vulnerable women to indulge your own sexual appetite.
"You conducted these relationships while on duty and you should have been available to take calls.
"There was evidence that you deliberately chose to neglect calls on your radio.
"You also indulged in sexual texting while on duty, indicating that your attention was focused on your sexual appetite than on your public duty."
He added: "Misconduct by a member of the police force is very serious, whether they be a police officer or a PCSO. They are in a position of privacy and power and the public trust has to be upheld."
Michael Melvill-Shreeve, for the defence, said that Bunyan was apologetic and remorseful.
He added: "He is utterly ashamed and utterly humiliated. He is apologetic for what he has done to himself, his family and to Devon and Cornwall Police."
Bunyan, who was married at the time, was suspended by Devon and Cornwall Police in 2011 and an investigation was launched into his conduct.
He is expected to be dismissed.
Rachel Cerfontyne, from the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC), said: "This man completely abused the position of trust he was in and is a disgrace to the police service.
A spokesman for Devon and Cornwall Police said: "The public have a right to expect exemplary behaviour from all members of the police service who are there to protect them.
"The sentence shows the very serious nature of the charges that the accused faced and the force will always investigate any allegations of this nature thoroughly."
