Sheffield police bosses disclose whether background checks were carried out on disgraced Special Constable

Former Special Constable Faran Hanson was sentenced at Leeds Magistrates’ Court yesterday (Thursday, August 25), after he used Snapchat to send pictures of his genitals to three women, two of whom were trainee officers under his supervision, as part of his role training new recruits.

The court was told how prior to Hanson, aged 26, joining South Yorkshire Police (SYP), he had been disciplined by a former employer for what a Crown Prosecution Service spokesperson described as ‘similar behaviour’.

When asked whether Hanson was vetted before being given a position with the force, a SYP spokesperson said: “Hanson was subject to vetting, as any prospective employee is when joining SYP. As a Special Constable, Hanson will have had other employment running alongside his duties in SYP, as they are unpaid volunteers.”

The Star also asked the force if they were aware of the disciplinary procedures Hanson’s former employer had carried out.

The spokesperson added: “When the disclosure was made that there had been a disciplinary issue at Hanson’s other employment, this information was reviewed and assessed by senior officers, but at the time he began working for SYP he had not yet begun working for the employer where the disciplinary action took place (so in effect, the disciplinary matter hadn’t happened yet or been dealt with yet).”

The SYP spokesperson confirmed that Hanson’s employer was not another police force.

Hanson denied the offences he faced of using a public electronic communications network to send a message that is grossly offensive or indecent, and as a consquence, his victims had to give evidence during his trial.

The SYP spokesperson was also asked whether the two victims, who were new recruits when Hanson abused his position of trust to send them indecent images, had left the force.

The spokesperson said: “Both remain working for SYP.”

After allegations were made about Hanson, he was ‘arrested and immediately suspended from duty,’ the SYP spokesperson added.

Jurors found Hanson guilty of three counts of using a public electronic communications network to send a message that is grossly offensive or indecent, following a trial at Leeds Magistrates’ Court.

During yesterday’s hearing, Hanson was sentenced to a two-year community order, 60 days of rehabilitation activity requirements, 200 hours of unpaid work and ordered to pay costs. He was also served five-year restraining orders for each of his victims.

He remains suspended from duty and will now face accelerated misconduct proceedings, on a date yet to be fixed.

Speaking after the hearing, Detective Superintendent Delphine Waring, head of the South Yorkshire Police’s Professional Standards Department, said: “Hanson’s behaviour is appalling and falls far, far below that which we expect of any officer or staff member. He refused to accept responsibility for his crimes, meaning this matter had to go to trial and I am pleased that he was convicted based on the wealth of evidence put before the court.

“This was thanks in no small part to the testimony of the women Hanson targeted with his communications. I commend the victims for supporting our investigation and bravely giving evidence in court about what happened.”