Detective paid 'vulnerable' boy, 17, for sex

A Merseyside Police detective has been sacked after paying a "vulnerable" 17-year-old boy for sex.

Det Con John Rigby is currently in prison on remand awaiting sentence after pleading guilty to charges of paying for the sexual services of a child and unauthorised access to a police computer system.

He has now been dismissed after an accelerated misconduct hearing before a panel chaired by Chief Constable Rob Carden.

The panel heard Rigby, 37, from St Helens, had also been searching police intelligence systems for information on two males he was in contact with.

While the teenager was above the age of consent, it is illegal to pay for the sexual services of anyone under 18.

In a written judgment Carden said: "Children, particularly those who turn to sex work, are among the most vulnerable in society.

"To pay for sexual services from a child is wholly inconsistent with the values and behaviours that should be demonstrated by a police officer in the 21st century.

"The impact behaviour such as this can have on policing in the UK cannot be underestimated."

The panel had heard Rigby continued to pay for sex even after he learned the boy was 17 in February 2025.

He searched police computer systems for information about two males on three dates in March and April.

Rigby admitted the allegations in Cheshire Magistrates' Court in November.

He will be sentenced at Chester Crown Court on 16 January.

Carden concluded the offences amounted to gross misconduct and sacked Rigby without notice, meaning his name will be added to the College of Policing barred list prohibiting him from working in a policing role again.

"It is inconceivable that a person who has been imprisoned for sexual offences can still serve as a police officer," he wrote.

"No mitigation has been provided and the officer has not tendered his resignation."

Det Ch Supt Sabi Kaur, head of the force's professional standards department, said Rigby's salary was stopped as soon as he was remanded in custody in November, in line with police regulations.

"We will not allow individuals to damage the good name built up by the vast majority of our officers who do an exemplary job and serve our communities with compassion, integrity and professionalism," she said.

"We cannot afford to have officers and staff working for us who do not uphold the highest levels of professionalism, and will always be robust in dealing with officers, or staff, whose conduct is unacceptable."

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