A married police officer misused his position to try to persuade several women to have sex with him, a court heard.

Folkestone PC Stephen Hughes continued to contact women in the town after investigating various crimes, it was alleged.

Prosecutor Dale Sullivan said the 32-year-old officer “misconducted himself” in three ways - by maintaining the contact with a view to having sex, using the police computer to carry out research on those he was attracted to and on one occasion failing to investigate a reported sex offence.

Mr Sullivan said Hughes, who joined Kent Police in January 2008 after being a community support officer, attended a domestic incident at the Mayfly pub in Hawkinge shortly before Christmas 2011.

He spoke to the woman involved, Gina Low, and then contacted her a number of times using both his police mobile phone and his personal mobile phone.

“It included him sending text messages telling her he found her attractive and that he wanted to spend an evening in bed with her,” Mr Sullivan told the jury of nine men and three women.

It was discovered by her partner and he made a complaint on January 4 last year.

Two months later he went to investigate the theft of a lawn mower from a shed at the home of Zoe Webster. Just half an hour later he started phoning and texting her.

“It was apparent from the text messages that he was sexually attracted to her,” said Mr Sullivan.

“She found out he was married with children. She ultimately told him to stop contacting her or she would report him.”

On March 17 last year Hughes went to see recently widowed Danielle Smith about an incident involving her son and returned on other occasions.

“She described the contact as flirtatious,” said Mr Sullivan.

“She said she was initially flattered. He described himself as married with children but said it was not much of a marriage or sexual relationship.

“He said he could offer her no strings attached fun. He didn’t hide the fact he wanted to start a sexual relationship with her. She eventually told him to stop contacting her or she would report him.”

The court heard Hughes was more specific with teenager Sylvie Sivakova after she was given a caution.

In May last year he looked for information on her on the police computer and then texted and phoned her.

She claimed he told her she had nice lips and breasts and that he wanted to ---- her. He said he would buy her something if he she had sex with him.

Miss Sivakova, 19, went in his car with him but made excuses and left when it was obvious he wanted sex.

The same month Hughes went to a disturbance at a shop and spoke to the owner’s daughter Emma Noakes and her younger sister.

Afterwards, Miss Noakes started receiving calls and texts asking if her sister was single and wanting her mobile phone number.

“She made it clear she was not going to give him the phone number and that it was inappropriate to ask,” said Mr Sullivan.

“She made it clear she was not going to give him the phone number and that it was inappropriate to ask” - prosecutor Dale Sullivan

“The texts continued. She made it clear they were not interested in him.”

In June last year a woman reported a serious sex assault by her boyfriend but she was dissuaded from making a formal complaint.

Hughes looked at her record on the police computer and then repeatedly called and texted her with inappropriate messages.

Mr Sullivan said an investigation was eventually carried out and the officer’s mobile phone records were obtained.

After his arrest on March 1 this year, he exercised his right to silence and answered “no comment” to all questions.

Hughes, of Fairfax Close, Folkestone, denies 10 charges of misconduct in judicial or public office.

The trial continues.

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