Police officer filmed himself performing a sex act in full uniform

A police officer who filmed himself performing a solo sex act in full uniform has been barred from policing for life.

Simon Barker made the X-rated video in his North Yorkshire police station before sending it to his partner.

Barker, a member of the force's rural crime team, quit his job a day before he was hauled up at a misconduct hearing.

A panel found he would have been sacked for gross misconduct had he not already resigned.

The former officer, who did not attend the hearing in North Yorkshire Police headquarters in Northallerton, regularly swapped sexual pictures and video with the woman.

The panel heard that Barker was clearly identifiable in the WhatsApp clip, with both his face and uniform visible.

Barker's Police Federation union representative Matt Hagan told the hearing Barker was at his place of work when he performed the sex act but not 'on duty'.

Mr Hagan said: 'He would like to apologise for not attending today and this is solely to protect his mental health.

'He deeply regrets his actions and the impact it may have on North Yorkshire Police.

'He would like to sincerely and wholeheartedly apologise. He would like to say how important his career has been and how proud he has been to serve the communities of North Yorkshire.'

Mr Hagan added: 'He did not intend to cause any harm by his actions and the results of his mistakes will remain with him for ever.'

Barker claimed the clip was only intended for his former long-term partner and that the couple had regularly sent each other sexual pictures and video.

But North Yorkshire Police said there was a risk that the video could have been shared more widely and said Barker's actions had brought the force into disrepute.

Panel chair, chief constable Tim Forber, said: 'The former officer's conduct was deliberate, intentional and planned.

'His behaviour included sexual impropriety that was for his own sexual gratification.

'The former officer ought to have known this behaviour was wholly improper, especially in his uniform at his place of work.

He added: 'This type of behaviour is likely to seriously undermine public confidence in the force. There is national concern about the sexual conduct of police officers.'

The panel concluded that Barker's actions in performing the sex act and then sending on the video amounted to gross misconduct.

It ruled that Barker would have been dismissed without notice had he not resigned.

Mr Forber concluded: 'No outcome other than dismissal would be adequate to uphold public confidence in the police.

'Sexual misconduct by police officers in North Yorkshire Police will not be tolerated.'

Barker, who was placed on the police barred list, has ten days to appeal.

Dozens of police officers have been sacked or disciplined in the past two years after being caught having sex on duty.

Information requests to UK forces found at least 26 officers faced disciplinary hearings in 24 months for having sex on duty, with 20 losing their jobs.

One Sussex officer was jailed after he went to a 999 call at a woman's home and then took advantage of her having sex after he turned off his body-cam.

Another in Northumbria was fired for romping with his lover in a police van parked up outside a supermarket.

And one Cleveland Police officer was banned from policing after filming herself performing a solo sex act in a toilet.

The true total is likely to be higher as a number of forces, including London's Met, West Midlands and Derbyshire, refused to give details.