The Telegraph

Policewoman quits after falsely accusing horse-riding friend of sex with 14-year-old

Jarvis
Ms Jarvis is a former police rider

A police officer has quit in disgrace after she entered a false claim on her force computer that a former friend had sex with a 14-year-old boy.

Pc Kelly Jarvis met Fiona Miller because they both had horses stabled at the same riding yard. They became close friends, but later fell out.

A police report reveals the officer began a vicious two-year campaign of harassment against Ms Miller, even making false reports to the NSPCC on four occasions that she was mistreating her own child.

It is frightening how much power the police have. My son could have been taken away from meFiona Miller

Ms Jarvis, who also sent texts to Ms Miller saying her partner was having sex with another woman, was allowed to resign ahead of an independent police disciplinary hearing into charges against her which had already been upheld by the Cleveland Police professional standards department.

Ms Miller said yesterday: "It is frightening how much power the police have. My son could have been taken away from me."
Miller, left, and Jarvis

Cleveland Police confirmed that former Pc Kelly Jarvis had been allowed to resign ahead of the hearing, due to “exceptional circumstances” – although the force could not say what these were.

New legislation was brought in last year to prevent police officers from resigning or retiring while facing gross misconduct proceedings except in certain circumstances, which includes ill-health or compromising a covert investigation.

In the investigation report into Ms Jarvis’ conduct, three complaints from Ms Miller were upheld.
Ms Jarvis, seen with horse, subjected Ms Miller to a campaign of harrassment

According to the report, the upheld complaints included that Ms Jarvis:

  • Subjected Ms Miller to “ongoing harassment” from social media after creating several false social media accounts, and acted “in a manner which discredits the police force”
  • Accessed police systems for reasons other than a police purpose
  • Submitted referrals about the welfare of Ms Miller’s child to the NSPCC which contained malicious information

The report showed she submitted four referrals to the NSPCC “for the purpose of causing her victim distress”, two anonymously and another two under fake names.

Jarvis admitted sending a text message from a number unknown to Ms Miller telling her that her partner had got another woman pregnant.

She also submitted an intelligence log into the force computer saying Ms Miller had sex with a 14-year-old boy when she was aged 24 or 25.

Ms Miller said the allegations against her, and her partner, were completely false, and the boy involved, now an adult, also submitted a statement to police stating that he had never had a sexual relationship with Ms Miller.

I can’t understand why she did all this. If there had been an argument or something, I would almost understand the reasons behind it, but there wasn’tFiona Miller

Ms Jarvis was a mounted officer in the Cleveland force. She met Ms Miller, a keen events rider, in 2013 when she stabled her horses at the farm owned by Ms Miller's partner near the National Trust-owned Ormesby Hall. 

"Although she told me she was a police officer and was obviously in a position of responsibility I had a strange feeling about her from the outset," said Ms Jarvis.

"She was friendly and initially I tried to be a friend but she was peculiar and she made me feel a little uncomfortable."
Ms Jarvis claimed Ms Miller had had sex with a teenager

Ms Jarvis befriended Ms Miller but then began the campaign of harassment.

"There is no clear incident that started this off," said Ms Miller. "My friends suggested it was jealousy and she did try to cause problems in my marriage by saying my partner had been having an affair and had got someone else pregnant.

"But she's married herself to a police officer, I don't know why she would feel jealous, unless it was because my partner's family owned the stables." 

After she worked out the text message about her partner was from Ms Jarvis, Ms Miller said she asked her to leave the yard – and then matters got more serious.

She said: “Once she had brought my son into it I knew I had to do something. It was almost funny before that, but I could have had him taken away. It is frightening how much power the police have.”

She abused the powers of the police and brought it down on Fiona. It was very nearly life-ruining for her and her familyFriend of Ms Miller

Police visited the property as a result of the reports but had no concerns about the welfare of Ms Miller’s child.

Pc Jarvis was interviewed in April while still serving and she denied harassment but admitted she sent four referrals to the NSPCC due to “genuine concern” and sending messages under fake Facebook and Twitter accounts. She also denied misuse of computer equipment.

A friend of Ms Miller said yesterday: "Kelly put her through hell. It was a long campaign of sheer vindictiveness.

"It's frustrating she was allowed to resign before her disciplinary hearing – she should have been held fully accountable for what she did.

"She abused the powers of the police and brought it down on Fiona. It was very nearly life-ruining for her and her family."