Police chief ‘filmed himself having sex with vulnerable junior officer’

Rolls, of Sussex Police has been accused of having sex with a vulnerable woman on a visit to her home

A court has heard that David Rolls, a former chief inspector with Sussex Police, is facing accusations of misconduct in public office for engaging in a sexual relationship with a vulnerable junior officer between 2016 and 2018. The court proceedings revealed that Rolls filmed their sexual encounter, and prosecutors argued that given his position, he should have recognized that engaging in such conduct with a vulnerable individual was inappropriate.

According to Prosecutor Alisdair Smith, Rolls and the junior officer exchanged intimate messages and images during their relationship. On one occasion, Rolls requested a hug while aroused and asked the officer to perform oral sex, which she complied with. During a police interview, the officer, who remains unnamed for legal reasons, expressed feeling compelled to please Rolls and believed she had no choice due to her mental health struggles at the time.

‘He just gave me another reason to hate myself,’ the young officer said in her police interview

The woman described feeling pressured by Rolls not to disclose their relationship, fearing he would lose his job. She clarified that she never viewed their interactions as an affair or a mutual relationship, noting that it was largely one-sided, with her giving more to Rolls than she received in return.

In one instance, Rolls visited the woman's home and engaged in sexual activity, which she described as extremely uncomfortable and unwanted. She expressed feeling pressured to fulfill Rolls' requests despite her discomfort.

Rolls, who has since resigned as detective chief inspector with Sussex Police, went on trial at Lewes Crown Court charged with misconduct in a public office

The sexual relationship ended in November 2017, and the woman deleted Rolls' contact information from her phone afterward. Rolls has denied any sexual involvement with the woman.

Sussex Police confirmed that Rolls resigned from his position as a detective chief inspector in March 2023. The trial is ongoing as the court examines the details and evidence related to the case.