A B.C. RCMP officer has been docked 10 days' pay for having sex with a subordinate in a police patrol car two years ago.

In handing down the decision against Staff Sgt. Travis Pearson Thursday, an RCMP disciplinary board said the penalty would have been more severe if the investigating officer had charged him with abuse of authority.

The board said that Pearson would then have been demoted to corporal.

Instead, Pearson was disciplined for using police equipment, namely his RCMP vehicle and Blackberry cellphone, to carry on a sexual affair.The board said Pearson used his police cellphone to send sexual messages to Const. Susan Gastaldo.

Pearson admitted to having an affair with Gastaldo that included on the job sex while he was her boss.

Gastaldo alleged in August 2009 that Pearson used his position of authority to coerce her, but the disciplinary panel ruled the sex was consensual.