A Christchurch police officer who today admitted agreeing to let a woman off a drink-driving charge in exchange for a sex act was accused of acting indecently six years ago.



Senior Constable Gordon Stanley Meyer today entered a surprise guilty plea to corruption and bribery at the High Court in Christchurch.



He also admitted indecently assaulting another woman by placing her hand on his groin and touching her breasts. Both victims have name suppression.



This afternoon police revealed Meyer was investigated for alleged indecent behaviour in 2007 after a woman made a formal complaint but there was insufficient evidence to prosecute.

A police officer who spoke on condition of anonymity called the earlier investigation a "cock-up". That was the opportunity to get rid of Meyer, the officer said.



Assistant Commissioner Grant Nicholls said he was "disgusted and appalled" by Meyer's actions.



Crown prosecutor Pip Currie told the court that about 3am on September 15, 2011, a 23-year-old woman had been drinking at the Bush Bar on Riccarton Rd. She and a male friend left the bar in a vehicle about 1.25am.



Meyer, acting Sergeant at the time, was patrolling and followed the woman as she drove into Hansons Lane in Upper Riccarton.



He approached the vehicle and breath tested her. The result was over 400mcg/L - a roadside indicator she was drink driving. An exchange ensued, where she asked, "What other options do I have?"



Meyer said to her: "How about we sort it on a personal level."



The victim queried the statement and he repeated it.



The victim suggested they go across the road and she would perform oral sex on him.



However, her friend was in the car and an arrangement was made for it to happen when Meyer wasn't working.



Meyer then aborted the process and seized the keys. He gave the woman and her male friend a ride in the patrol vehicle to an address in Upper Riccarton, where the man went into the property.



The woman stayed in the car, where she was "induced to expose her breasts". She then went inside.



Meyer took the keys to the Christchurch police station, but did not call her.



He went back to the house about 3.30am, but was met by another female friend of the victim.



"He was informed she did not want any further contact with him."



Meyer made 19 calls to her cellphone during the following month - either on his home phone, or his own cellphone, the acting sergeant's cellphone or police landline.



On September 16 he attempted to arrange a meeting. After this call, she stopped answering, or would hang up.



On October 20, 2011, Meyer was on night shift in a patrol car, when he spotted the victim. She was a passenger in a car on Halswell Rd, which Meyer pulled it over. There was a short interaction.



That incident prompted her to make a complaint as she "held fears that she was being stalked", Currie said.



The second charge relates to an incident in April 2011.



The victim was an 18-year-old woman who met Meyer while he was on official police duties. She was in a hotel in Hornby on April 1, 2011, when Meyer offered her a ride in the patrol vehicle sometime after midnight to another bar.



Near Westfield Riccarton he pulled into Maxwell St. The victim asked what he was doing.



He reached over, took her hand, placed it on his crotch area and tried to undo his zipper.



She pulled her hand away. He also placed his hand under her bra and made a sexual comment.



"She kept saying no. That interaction lasted about 30 seconds," Currie said.



"She said she felt powerless as [he] was a police officer and [she] was scared of him.



"Meyer also phoned her numerous times between April 8 and October 2011, and turned up while in his police role to events involving her, and made sexual comments to her that made her feel uncomfortable."



Defence counsel Jonathan Eaton said Meyer had tendered his resignation with the police.



Judge Graeme Pankhurst lifted name suppression and remanded Meyer on bail for sentencing on December 19, at 9am.



He asked for a pre-sentence report, including on his suitability for home detention.



Eaton said his client did not seek further name suppression.



Meyer moved to the Bay of Plenty, where he still resides, after he was charged.



POLICE DISGUSTED



Police had looked closely at the last 10 years of Meyer's career as part of their investigation, Nicholls said.

His offending was "criminally disgraceful" and Nicholls said he was confident there was not a culture of corruption among the country's police.



"We have got 12,000 staff operating out of hundreds of locations around the country ... and unfortunately we've had a few that let police down badly.



"It's just hard to believe that he [Meyer] could think that he could get away with it.



"It's criminally disgraceful conduct - I'm not trying to defend it for one moment."



Nicholls said police had good training and good policies and there were no immediate plans to change them.



"I'm comfortable the organisation is healthy and we've been let down."



The reality of policing was that some staff worked alone - particularly in rural locations, he said.



"We do place a lot of trust in our staff and on this occasion he [Meyer] completely violated that."



Nicholls said the force welcomed the conviction on behalf of the victims, but that its investigation still remained open.



"We praise all of those who came forward and helped us, which has ultimately allowed us to hold Mr Meyer to account and get justice for the victims. No-one should have to put up with the kind of disgraceful behaviour exhibited by this former officer, who abused his position of trust and hurt those who he should have been helping," Nicholls said.



"There is no place for anyone who behaves like this within New Zealand Police.



Nicholls said the conviction was the result of public support, with detectives investing some 9000 hours of work and taking more than 80 statements.



"I am disgusted and appalled at Meyer's actions, which are not reflective of the attitude of the thousands of other police men and women."



Outside court, Detective Inspector Tom Fitzgerald praised victims for having "the guts" to come forward.



Fitzgerald said today showed the public could be assured police investigated their own thoroughly.



Police Association president Greg O'Connor said Meyer's offending was ''abhorrent to every police officer'' and it had been dealt with the way it should have been by police.



Asked whether the public's perception of police had been damaged in light of Meyer's actions and the recent Roast Busters scandal O'Connor said: ''It would be better if nothing like this was happening.''



''What the public need to know is that when incidents or misbehaviour comes to light it is dealt with," he said.



''The evidence is that they are dealt with very strongly whenever any of this behaviour comes to the fore.''



O'Connor said he had no dealings with Meyer.

Police Minister Anne Tolley this afternoon condemned Meyer's offending and sought to reassure the public the case had been thoroughly investigated.

Gordon Meyer, right, walks out of court with his lawyer Johnathan Eaton.