Married top cop, 41, resigns after breaking lockdown for sex with trainee, 24, he helped join force

Chief superintendent Daniel Greenwood, who led West Yorkshire Police's Covid enforcement team, admitted gross misconduct after engaging in a sexual relationship with probationary officer Caitlin Howarth

A married police chief superintendent who had a sexual relationship with a trainee PC nearly half his age has resigned from the force in disgrace. Daniel Greenwood, who led West Yorkshire Police's Covid enforcement team, broke Covid lockdown rules to engage in sexual activities with Caitlin Howarth after going for a jog.

Probationary officer Howarth met Greenwood in March 2020 as her mother was a secretary at a school where he was a governor. He helped her join the force and expedited her application.

His misconduct was exposed when Howarth, now 24, began a sexual relationship with a drug dealer she met on Tinder. Greenwood, 41, of Bingley, West Yorkshire, faced allegations of gross misconduct between March 2019 and November 2021 at a police disciplinary hearing and resigned from the force. Howarth, who has already resigned from West Yorkshire Police, will face a future disciplinary hearing.

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John Beggs KC, presenting the allegations against Greenwood, said he had joined the MoD in 2003 before transferring to West Midlands Police the following year and then the West Yorkshire force in January 2006. He quickly rose through the ranks until he was appointed chief superintendent in March 2020 where he was silver commander for the force's response to the Covid pandemic and lockdown rules, reports Yorkshire Live.

A disciplinary panel heard that in the summer of 2020 Howarth, referred to as Miss A, and Greenwood exchanged sexually-charged messages. She shared her affinity for older men and said she wished to ditch her live-in partner.

Mr Begg said: "Miss A was 20 and not yet a probationer constable. Daniel Greenwood was a chief superintendent aged 37. The disparity in age and status was stark."

According to testimony Greenwood chaperoned Miss A to a medical outing and later in September that year they had clothed "sexual activity" at her family home. Greenwood even made an appearance at her uniform fitting session and by November they were intimate under the guise of walking her dog in Bingley.

Further information detailed how Greenwood aided Miss A in succeeding in a police test come December. Mr Beggs said during January's lockdown in 2021 the chief superintendent ignored Covid restrictions, jogging to Miss A's residence while officially on duty from home, for what would be their initial sexual encounter. "Daniel Greenwood knew very well that to attend Miss A's home address for sexual activity would be in breach of the law and plainly not acceptable," noted Mr Beggs. Greenwood also got hold of new police attire for Miss A, personally delivering it to her mother, and gifted her green tea at a Bradford station and once allotted his own personal parking space for her use.

In July 2021 Greenwood paid a visit to the new flat of Miss A, who was cohabiting with her boyfriend, and they had sex for a second time. This encounter took place during a run from his home and was mutually agreed upon. Miss A's probationary officer colleagues noticed Greenwood assisting her during training and in March she confessed to them during a drinking game that she had slept with the senior officer.

By September 2021 Miss A had started a sexual relationship with drug dealer Joseph Shaw, whom she met on Tinder, which Greenwood became aware of. Neither Miss A nor Greenwood reported this to professional standards.

The flirtatious text exchanges between Greenwood and Miss A continued until Shaw was arrested for supplying Class A drugs on November 2. Later that same day Miss A was also arrested on suspicion of passing information to her drug-dealing boyfriend.

On learning of Miss A's arrest Greenwood deleted all data from his mobile phone. However his misconduct was later uncovered by West Yorkshire Police. Mr Beggs informed the hearing that Greenwood had been battling alcohol addiction for a decade and exhibited addictive personality traits.

In January of the previous year Shaw received a six-and-a-half-year prison sentence for supplying Class A drugs. Miss A has left the force as of April last year and just days ago a criminal case against her was dismissed by the CPS.

West Yorkshire Police have stated: "The case against a former West Yorkshire Police student officer has been discontinued by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS). Caitlin Howarth, 24, who worked in Bradford, was previously charged with misconduct in a public office. The CPS has now advised that they are offering no evidence meaning that she has been acquitted of the charge. Ms Howarth has resigned from the force. She remains the subject of a misconduct investigation."

Speaking on behalf of Greenwood at the headquarters of West Yorkshire Police in Wakefield Hugh Davies KC said the ex-chief superintendent admitted gross misconduct and acknowledged the end of his policing career as a new chapter begins for himself and his family. Mr Davies noted that Greenwood had seen swift promotions and could have been a top officer, adding: "That has gone now obviously." Greenwood was described as a "high-functioning alcoholic" with an exercise addiction and not in a condition to provide testimony at the disciplinary proceedings.

Despite Greenwood's struggles Mr Davies related that his wife, facing her own medical issues, along with their children, supported him. His goal now is to build a new life for them just as they have supported him through the past three years. The panel ruled Greenwood would have been dismissed had he not already resigned two days before the hearing.

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