A former Metropolitan Police officer has been convicted of sexually assaulting a 17-year-old boy by enticing him to a hotel room with alcohol and the TV show “Love Island,” a court heard.
Grant Fulker, a former PC from Surrey who was fired from the police force in 2024, was found guilty by a jury at Southwark Crown Court on charges of sexual assault and attempted sexual assault on Friday, January 9.
Before his trial, Fulker, aged 32, who previously served in Specialist Operations, admitted to three counts of misconduct in public office. These charges stemmed from inappropriate messages he sent via WhatsApp to two boys while he was a volunteer police cadet leader for the Metropolitan Police.
According to reports from The Telegraph, on the night of the incidents in February 2024, Fulker bought four bottles of wine and invited a teenager to his hotel room to watch “Love Island.” The court was told that while intoxicated, Fulker touched the young boy and attempted to touch his genitals over his clothing.
Following a report from the victim’s parents, Fulker was arrested and charged within the same month.
Commander Pete Stevens condemned Fulker’s actions, describing them as “despicable” and emphasizing how Fulker exploited his role as a cadet leader to victimize the boys in a reprehensible manner.
Stevens expressed gratitude to the boys for stepping forward, which led to an immediate investigation, resulting in Fulker’s swift arrest, subsequent charges, and eventual dismissal from the Metropolitan Police within a month.
In response to the incident, the Metropolitan Police reviewed all volunteer police cadet units in London to ensure compliance with appropriate policies and safeguarding measures, following the restructuring of the cadet program to enhance oversight.
Fulker was dismissed during an accelerated misconduct hearing in March 2024 after indicating his intention to plead guilty to misconduct in public office. His actions were deemed gross misconduct for breaching professional conduct standards related to discreditable behavior and lack of respect and courtesy.
He was summarily dismissed and added to the College of Policing’s barred list, prohibiting him from employment within law enforcement agencies or related bodies.
Sentencing is scheduled for Thursday, February 27.
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