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A police officer has been sacked after she attempted to strike up a relationship with a vulnerable teenager.

Police constable Jennifer Regan, of Cheshire police, sent inappropriate messages to a 19-year-old between April and July last year after she talked the young woman down from a bridge.

PC Regan, who was based at Warrington in Cheshire , first met the vulnerable teen in January 2018 when she relieved other officers of their duty at Hollins Park Hospital after the young woman had attempted an overdose.

Later that month the teen was reported missing from the hospital.

Police then received reports that the teen was about to jump off a bridge - PC Regan was one of the officers that responded.

Recognising Regan's name, and being uncomfortable with male officers, the vulnerable teenager asked for her to be present.

The police constable was then able to talk the teen down from the bridge.

Following the incident the officer sat with the teen in the back of the police car to the hospital, at which point the young woman wrote her email address on a piece of paper and gave it to PC Regan.

There was no further contact between the 37-year-old officer, who joined the force as a PCSO 10 years ago, and the teen until April 24, 2018 at Warrington Hospital when the teen was attending A&E.

A few days after meeting PC Regan wrote an email from her work account to the woman.

In it she said: "If you want to ever talk about stuff you can send me a msg and I will always be happy to have a chat and a brew, just let me know!"

The 19-year-old responded to thank the officer for the offer.

On June 30 the officer then reached out using her personal email address, asking for an update on how she was doing.

Messages were sent back and forth - ending with the officer sending her personal mobile number.

The pair set up a meeting and continued to message through the beginning of July.

One example of the texts from PC Regan given at a misconduct hearing by Cheshire Constabulary said: "Feel free to txt me any time, so you know there’s an extra someone there who will always chat to you xx."

On July 12 there was talk of the officer going to meet the woman the following night while she was working in Warrington.

PC Regan wrote: "If it’s good with you I don’t mean it to be a one-time visit anyway, I’d like to keep in touch with you because I think you’re a great person and I reckon you could make me smile a lot! Lol xx."

In another message Regan said: "I think that regardless how it happens in whatever circumstances when you meet someone who touches your life you just know that they are gonna be good for you.

"That’s why I would consider you to be a friend of mine… The job introduced us but it’s you that made me want to say hi outside of that. I also think you’re pretty amazing by the way xx."

Another message was sent immediately after: "Hmmmm read that back, and it seemed a bit heavy! All I’m saying is, I think you’re a great person and I’m glad we met! Xx."

No meeting took place between the two, but the constable continued her efforts to meet the young woman, offering to come and meet her at her home.

Following a conversation about the woman's difficulty trusting people on July 17 the Cheshire police officer invited the teenager to stay at her home, offering to pay for the young womans' taxi fare to her house.

She wrote: "You wanna chat when you get home? Xx

"Or if you’re feeling adventurous you could come see me? Xx".

The woman agreed to come and meet the officer in her home in Manchester.

Regan wrote: "If you come you can stay and I’ll drive you back tomorrow how’s that?? Xx."

The woman sent a text to a friend to tell her of her plans.

Later that evening the 19-year-old told her friend she felt uncomfortable and wanted to leave Regan's flat.

She then left - saying she was going to stay with a friend.

At 5.20am the next day the police officer sent a text which read: "Hope you’re okay? Xx."

When there was no reply, at 12:56pm, PC Regan said: "Hope I didn’t upset you at all last night xx."

This was the last message the officer sent.

The misconduct hearing found that the Cheshire police officer acted in gross misconduct, having been aware that the teen was receiving psychiatric care and daily support from mental health professionals.

It was found that Regan failed to respect the boundaries between a professional and a personal relationship - also failing to inform her superior officer of the contact.

The findings from the hearing read: "In PC Regan’s case, her conduct was found to amount to gross misconduct in circumstances where she abused her position as a police officer with an individual who is vulnerable."

The police office officer was dismissed without notice.

Cheshire Constabulary has declined to comment as PC Regan is appealing the panel's decision.

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