A Suffolk police officer who had sexually inappropriate conversations with an alleged rape victim has been warned he faces an immediate prison sentence after a jury found him guilty of misconduct.

Before Ipswich Crown Court on Monday was 33-year-old Ryan Althorpe, of Ipswich, who had denied two offences of misconduct in public office between November 16 and December 3, 2020.

He was convicted of both offences after a week-long trial.

Althorpe was accused of engaging in sexually inappropriate conversations with the alleged rape victim for the purpose of his sexual gratification, and wilfully neglecting to record a disclosure of rape.

The court heard that Althorpe told the woman she was “sexy and cute” and "stunning" and said it would be a shame if she was put off sex because of what she claimed had happened to her.

He had also asked her to send him a picture of herself and asked for graphic details about what had happened during the allied rape.

Althorpe, who was a newly-appointed police sergeant at the time of the conversations, also discouraged the woman from reporting the alleged rape by telling her that nothing would probably happen and it was likely the perpetrator would “simply be spoken to”, Ipswich Crown Court was told.

Adam Norris, prosecuting, said as a police officer Althorpe would have known that Home Office guidelines stated that police officers had a duty to record allegations of rape made to them.

When he was interviewed after the woman reported her conversations with him to police, Althorpe produced a pre-prepared statement in which he denied any misconduct and said he had been speaking to her as a friend and not as a police officer.

Althorpe chose not to give evidence during his trial.

Judge Emma Peters adjourned sentence until September 11 for a pre-sentence report.

She granted Althorpe bail but said he shouldn’t expect anything other than an immediate prison sentence.