Police officer probed over sexual message to a woman after he boasted about appearing on TV

A detective sergeant has been suspended after sending a sexual message to a woman and boasting about appearing on a TV show.

Ryan Barnes, of Bedfordshire Police, told a 32-year-old woman she was ‘gorgeous’ and that she should watch him on Channel 4’s 24 Hours In Police Custody.

In a Twitter message the married officer sent the mother of one a photo of himself and asked her to rate his looks, for her number and for a video call before telling her: ‘I’m a bit horny.’

The woman, who requested to be known as Samara, from Preston, Lancashire, ended the conversation and posted about it online.

Barnes, who has been at Bedfordshire Police since 2009, has been suspended from his force after receiving a complaint from a member of the public about his conduct (file image)

‘I felt like I had to out him publicly because he could be messaging other women who might be intimidated by the fact that he was a senior police officer,’ she said. 

‘It seemed like he was trying to impress me by being a police officer and the fact that he had been on this TV show.’

Barnes, 35, appears to have sent messages to other women about the TV episode.

Samara added: ‘I thought this was somebody pretending here, there’s no way it could be a real officer being this much of an idiot.’

Barnes, who has been at Bedfordshire Police since 2009, has been suspended from his force after receiving a complaint from a member of the public about his conduct.

 Assistant chief constable Sharn Basra said the standards department was ‘reviewing the material’.