A former police officer from Oldham has been dismissed from policing after she was sentenced for making false reports to disguise her partner's criminal offences.

Jessica Verbruggan was sentenced at Leeds Crown Court on February 5 earlier this year for two counts of perverting the course of justice and two counts of computer misuse.

She resigned from Greater Manchester Police (GMP) in May 2023 after she had been charged due to her offending.

The 31-year-old had made false reports to the police, which included her falsely reporting that her car had been stolen.

These reports were made as Verburggan, of Fold Green, Chadderton, tried to disguise her partner's criminal behaviour at the time.

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Verbruggan received a sentence of 10 months in prison, suspended for 18 months, and was ordered to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work and attend 20 days of rehabilitation activity requirement.

Now, following a misconduct hearing held at GMP Headquarters on Tuesday (October 1), Verbruggan has been barred from serving as a police officer.

Chief Constable for GMP, Stephen Watson, deemed that Verbruggan's culpability was "very high" and that her conduct had been "dishonest and malign".

A report published following the hearing read: "Ms Verburggan, then holding the office of constable, failed to live up to the responsibility reposed in her.

"This misconduct involved a course of conduct which was clearly designed to deceive for an illicit purpose namely, the concealment of wrongdoing by another.

"As such, the misconduct was planned, deliberate and carried out in the full knowledge that it was unlawful, unwise and indefensible."

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CC Watson also wrote that he was "unable to find any mitigation in this matter whatsoever" for Verbruggan and that she had harmed the reputation of the police service.

He added: "Both the public and GMP are well served by her having been forced out of the service."

Verbruggan was added to the College of Policing's Barred List.