STORY
A former police officer, Che Homersham, has had his sentence for misconduct in public office more than tripled following a review by the Court of Appeal. The decision, announced on 22 July 2025, saw Homersham’s original six-month imprisonment extended to 18 months after the Solicitor General Lucy Rigby KC MP referred the case under the Unduly Lenient Sentence (ULS) scheme.
Homersham, aged 37 and from Southgate in North London, was initially sentenced on 13 May 2025. The court heard that he initiated an inappropriate relationship with a 16-year-old girl he met while on duty. He contacted the vulnerable teenager from his personal phone under the guise of taking a personal statement, before driving her to a remote location and making unwanted advances. This marked the beginning of a relationship spanning several years, during which Homersham described sexual fantasies and continued to make sexual advances.
The misconduct came to light in August 2023 when Homersham was arrested for an unrelated matter, and his text messages to the victim were uncovered. In a victim personal statement, the girl expressed that Homersham’s actions had severely impacted her trust in others and her perception of the police. Solicitor General Lucy Rigby KC MP welcomed the Court of Appeal’s decision, stating that Homersham had abused his position as a police officer, a role that rightly commands public trust. The ULS scheme allows for cases where a sentence appears to be significantly below what it should be to be referred to the Court of Appeal for reconsideration. This successful referral underscores the commitment to ensuring that those who abuse positions of trust face appropriate justice.