A policeman who had sex with a 14-year-old schoolgirl in Dagenham has been dismissed without notice after a misconduct hearing today.

John Wigglesworth, 46, of The Ridgeway, Harold Wood, who was attached Metropolitan Police’s Roads and Transport Policing Command, was jailed for having sexual intercourse with a child following a trial in January.

He had sex with the girl at his previous home address in Lynnett Road.

He was sentenced on Thursday, 25 February, to four years imprisonment and placed on the Sex Offenders Register for life and given an indefinite sexual harm prevention order.

A police spokesman said: “Today’s hearing, chaired by assistant commissioner Mark Rowley, found his conduct fell significantly below the standards of professional behaviour relating to discreditable conduct and that this amounted to gross misconduct.”

Wigglesworth was suspended from duty in August last year, following his arrest.

Police confirmed his salary stopped at the time of his sentencing.

Det Ch Supt Matthew Gardner, Operational Command Unit commander for the Met’s Directorate of Professional Standards, said: “PC Wigglesworth has completely breached the trust the public placed in him as a police officer by taking advantage of a vulnerable child.

“She was exactly the kind of person he had sworn to protect.

“The court has rightly sentenced him to a considerable period in prison and he has now been dismissed from the service.”