A police officer who had a sexual relationship with a teen who told him she’d been raped faces jail for urging her to destroy evidence of their affair.
Gavin Donaldson was a uniformed constable in Midlothian when he met Anisha Yaseen, aged 17 and described as “extremely vulnerable”.
The 45-year-old married dad befriended her after she made a criminal complaint to cops.
He gave her his personal email and phone number, and they went on to exchange more than 28,000 messages over four years.
Donaldson and Anisha began a “consensual sexual relationship” which came to the attention of Police Scotland’s anti-corruption unit (ACU).
After learning he was the target of an ACU probe, Donaldson begged her to delete social media messages in a desperate bid to save his career.
Donaldson, who has resigned from the force, appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Thursday and pled guilty to attempting to pervert the course of justice.
Fiscal depute Joanna Waller said Donaldson was based at Dalkeith police station when he met Anisha in May 2016.
Ms Waller said Donaldson noted Anisha’s statement after she reported a crime, but she then revealed to him she’d been raped.
Donaldson passed that complaint to his colleagues for investigation.
Ms Waller said Donaldson emailed Anisha, which was “unusual” as a police liaison officer had been assigned to her.
Donaldson, who wasn’t part of the ongoing inquiry, described himself to her as the “giant Australian officer” she met.
The pair exchanged emails, and Donaldson gave his personal email address to communicate, adding: “As long as it stays private.”
He added: “Just don’t tell the CID. They get funny about us being involved in their cases.”
Over the next four years, they exchanged messages on WhatsApp and Snapchat. The court was told 28,133 messages were sent from February 2017 and November 2020.
Ms Waller said some messages were “extremely personal in nature” and others were “sexual”.
She said a “consensual sexual relationship” started between them, which “did not include sexual intercourse”.
Donaldson and Anisha were in other relationships during this time, the prosecutor added, and had sexual contact for the first time in 2018.
The court was told the ACU became aware of an alleged relationship between a “police officer and a victim of crime”.
ACU officers interviewed Anisha who admitted a “sexual relationship”.
Donaldson was placed on restricted duties on November 20 2020, but not told why.
Within an hour, officers visited Anisha. While they were at her home, Donaldson sent Anisha a message asking her to erase messages they exchanged.
Donaldson then called Anisha and during a 40 minute conversation, which was recorded, “repeatedly asked her to delete” messages, Ms Waller said.
Anisha told Donaldson that police had just seen his phone message.
Donaldson replied: “Ok, for f***s sake. That’s fine.” Later he told her, “Just delete it all and I’ll see what I can do.”
Donaldson was suspended from duty five days later.
The court was told Donaldson, who started his police service in 2011, was married with a young son.
He pled guilty to attempting to pervert the course of justice between November 20 and 22 2020.
Sheriff Douglas Keir deferred sentence on Donaldson, of Eskbank, Midlothian, until next month for reports.
Speaking outside court, Anisha, who waived her anonymity, said she had believed Donaldson was someone who “took care of me, protected me, guided me, and loved me”.
Anisha said it was only when ACU officers became involved that "the term 'grooming' was used”.
She said Donaldson’s guilty plea was “confirmation that the stable period in my life was a lie”.
Chief Superintendent Catriona Henderson, of Police Scotland, said: “Gavin Donaldson abused his position and his behaviour does not represent Police Scotland’s values or standards of professional behaviour.
“Had he remained a serving officer, the circumstances of his offences would now be considered for misconduct proceedings.”
Justin Farrell, who heads the Crown’s specialist Criminal Allegations Against the Police Division, said: “Gavin Donaldson abused his respected position as a police officer.
“A woman who trusted him to provide professional help and support found herself being manipulated by him and encouraged to cover-up his entirely inappropriate behaviour.
“I commend this woman’s bravery in speaking out about Donaldson’s actions. Members of the public will be protected by the law.
“They should have confidence that prosecutors will respond robustly and independently to reports of criminal behaviour by police officers.”
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