A former police officer who sexually assaulted two women while he was working as a legal advisor was branded ‘creepy’ by his victims.

Graeme Iley abused his position to take advantage of vulnerable women when they were at their lowest ebb while working in a police station in the North East.

The 55-year-old was found guilty of sexually touching the legs of two women who had been arrested before sending them both inappropriate messages following a trial.

Teesside Crown Court heard how Iley sent one woman a message wishing she was laid naked next to him in his garden.

Iley sexually assaulted the women while he was working in two police stations in the Northumbria force area in July 2022.

Ian West, prosecuting, read out victim impact statements from the two women as the defendant was being sentenced.

One woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, described Iley’s actions as ‘predatory behaviour’ when he abused his position to sexually assault her after she had been arrested.

The second victim, who also cannot be named, had never met Iley before he repeatedly touched her while she was in the police station following her arrest.

She said: “The more I think about his behaviour, the more it upsets me.”

Mr West said both women described the defendant as 'creepy' when they were interviewed by police.

Penny Hall, mitigating, said her client was a former police officer who had worked as a legal advisor in police stations for around 15 years before his conviction.

She said: “He denies the allegations and maintains that position after the jury returned its verdict.”

Judge Richard Bennett branded Iley’s behaviour as ‘arrogant’ as he sentenced him to 16 months in custody suspended for two years.

Dealing with the first victim, he said: “You stroked her legs and left your hand on her bare legs – you touched her multiple times in the foyer of that police station.

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“The second victim, you touched her repeatedly, you stroked her leg and you stroked her leg.

“She said you had no reason to touch her leg which you did repeatedly.

“There seems to be some arrogance on your part.”

Iley, who now works as a delivery driver, was ordered to attend 40 rehabilitation activity requirement days, carry out 300 hours of unpaid work and sign on the sex offenders’ register for ten years.