A former police officer who abused his position of trust after meeting a vulnerable woman in the course of his duties, before raping and sexually assaulting her, has been convicted.

Following a trial at Southwark Crown Court, Mark Tyrrell, 57, of Meltham, West Yorkshire, was found guilty of sexual offences, including rape, as well as one count of perverting the course of justice for attempting to delete messages with the victim in an attempt to destroy evidence.

The offending all related to one woman who Tyrrell first met in his professional capacity as a police officer.

Dominique Burrell, of the Crown Prosecution Service, said: “Mark Tyrrell’s behaviour was indicative of a predator who was willing to do whatever it took to get what he, and he alone, wanted.

“As a police officer, his actions fell woefully short of the standards rightly expected of those who serve in the police. He took advantage of his position and the trust placed in him to pursue a vulnerable woman he met in the course of his duties.

“His campaign of emotional abuse and manipulation culminated in some of the most horrific sexual offences against her, even preying on her while she slept and was at her most vulnerable.

“I would like to commend the victim’s bravery in coming forward to report Tyrrell’s crimes, her evidence was key to helping us build a strong case and bring him to justice.”

Building the case

The court heard that Tyrrell quickly gained the victim's trust and started buying her small gifts and attending the property without any other colleagues in attendance, a breach of the rules.

He then took her mobile phone number after she reached out for help and began to message her privately from his personal phone.

Over time, Tyrrell started manipulating and pressuring the victim to give in to his sexual demands, despite her wishes.

Tyrrell convinced the woman that no-one could know about his contact with her as he could lose his job and go to prison.

The first attack in May 2021 was directly after the victim refused Tyrrell’s sexual advances. Despite this, Tyrrell persisted, it was clear that she was not consenting. The victim said, in her video recorded interview with police, that the defendant admitted to her that he had raped her and that he was going to report himself to the police.

Text messages which were recovered from the defendant’s phone, after this incident which he attempted to delete, read: “I’m sorry… for being a sex offender… for ruining your life by being in it.”

The victim kept notes of the attacks on her mobile phone. These later became crucial evidence, enabling prosecutors to build a strong case for trial and secure Tyrrell’s conviction.

In April 2023, the victim recorded Tyrrell pleading with her to lie to police about the abuse he had committed after officers found him hiding in her bedroom.

Tyrrell had already pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice for pressuring the victim to lie to the police.
He also admitted to misconduct in public office by engaging in a sexual relationship with a known vulnerable female whilst working in his professional capacity as a police officer whose role was to protect her.

Tyrrell had been attached to the Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection Command before retiring whilst he was under investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct in 2023.