A police officer has admitted sexual activity with a teenage girl over the space of a year.
PC Nathan Henderson has since been suspended by Cleveland Police over the 11 offences which took place between July 2024 and July 2025.
The 30-year-old admitted 11 charges of sexual activity with a child, all of which were related to the same girl.
Henderson claimed the relationship with the girl, who was aged 14 or 15 at the time of the offences, had ‘coercive and threatening elements’ when he appeared at Durham crown court via video link from prison.
Sam Faulks, defending, said a basis of plea may be submitted, telling Judge Joanne Kidd: ‘The position is that the defendant accepts that the defence of duress that might have come through in (an) interview is not available to him in law.
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‘However, he feels there were certain elements within the relationship that were coercive and threatening, but he would wish to reflect upon disclosure before he advances that.’
Henderson, of Beaconsfield Road, Norton, also admitted perverting the course of justice, saying ‘I don’t remember doing it, but guilty,’ when he was asked for his plea.
He has been remanded in custody until his next appearance at the same court. A date has not yet been set.
Cleveland Police said they had dismissed Henderson from the force on August 15, and that he is no longer a serving officer.
Temporary Assistant Chief Constable Dave Sutherland said: ‘Firstly, I’d like to thank the victim in this case for their courage in coming forward and reporting these offences to us.
‘Offences of this nature when committed by a member of the public are abhorrent, however, when they have been committed by a police officer it is incredibly shocking and appalling and I want to make it clear that these criminal acts will not be tolerated at Cleveland Police, nor in the police service as a whole.
‘This is not what we, as police officers, stand for.
‘On August 15 we took action to remove Nathan Henderson from the force and he is no longer a serving officer, nor will he be able to be employed by any other police force.’
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