Former Essex Police officer sentenced for misconduct in public office

A former Essex Police officer has been given a suspended jail sentence after admitting misconduct in public office and computer misuse offences, following an Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) investigation.

At a hearing at Ipswich Crown Court today (26 March), ex-PC David Wren, 57, was handed a two-year sentence for MIPO and a six-month sentence for the computer misuse.

The sentences will run concurrently and were suspended over 18 months, meaning he will not go to prison unless he re-offends during these periods. He also had to pay £406 in costs and victim’s surcharge, and was ordered to do 80 hours of unpaid work.

In December 2025, he admitted having an inappropriate relationship with a woman, who was a victim of domestic abuse that he met during the course of his duties.

PC Wren, who was based at Clacton police station, was the officer in charge of multiple investigations in which she was the victim.

She had been subjected to repeated domestic abuse and was in contact with Wren for more than a year.

We analysed hundreds of messages exchanged between them, including personal and intimate content that PC Wren sent the victim, some of which were sent on duty.

Wren also admitted to accessing confidential police information without a legitimate purpose and disclosed details to the woman, breaching the police standards of professional standards.

IOPC director Emily Barry said: “Police officers hold positions of trust and authority, and any abuse of that position for personal gain is a serious breach of public trust.

“PC Wren’s actions showed a clear disregard for professional boundaries and the policies in place that are designed to protect vulnerable individuals.

“His sentence sends a clear message to police officers of the serious consequences for those who abuse their position to pursue inappropriate relationships.”

Our investigation began following a mandatory conduct referral from Essex Police in September 2022.

Pc Wren was arrested in November 2022 based on evidence Essex Police found through conducting lawful business monitoring on his work mobile phone which showed high levels of contact between PC Wren and the woman.

On conclusion of our investigation, in January 2024, we sent a file of evidence to the Crown Prosecution Service, which decided to charge Wren with the offences.

We also found he should face a gross misconduct hearing and, on 3 February 2026, a hearing was held by the force where the case was found proven that he breached the police standards of professional behaviour in relation to discreditable conduct and honesty and integrity.

Had he not already resigned from the force he would have been dismissed with immediate effect. He will also be placed on the policing barred list.