A FORMER Devon & Cornwall Police officer has been sentenced to two years and four months in prison after pleading guilty to three charges of Misconduct in Public Office.

Ex-Police Constable James Stillman, aged 32, of Chard, was sentenced when he appeared at Bristol Crown Court on Friday, June 19.

He pleaded guilty to two charges when he appeared at Taunton Magistrates’ Court on Friday, May 1.

He had previously pleaded guilty to the third charge.

Stillman was charged with misconduct in a public office by having sexual intercourse with a vulnerable female whilst on duty following an incident on 1 September 2025.

He had attended her home address to take a statement after she had reported being assaulted.

In an initial police interview, he denied that any sexual activity had taken place but later admitted that they had had sex while he was on duty.

In relation to a different victim, he was charged with misconduct in public office after he engaged in inappropriate sexual messaging and sexual touching of a vulnerable teenaged girl who he met through the course of his duties.

The charges relate to his time as a Devon and Cornwall Police officer. Stillman has also previously served as a Special Constable with Avon and Somerset Constabulary.

Stillman was arrested immediately when reports were made to police and was suspended from duty following his initial arrest.

He resigned from the force and was also subject to an Accelerated Misconduct Hearing.

Assistant Chief Constable Glen Mayhew said: ‘James Stillman had a role to undertake in these instances in his trusted capacity as a police officer.

‘In these separate cases, he was supposed to be supporting two women, ensure their welfare and safeguard them from coming to any further harm.

‘Instead, he has abused his position of power and authority to target his victims for his own needs in the knowledge that they were unlikely to report his actions to the police.

‘Both victims have shown great courage in reporting these incidents to us so they could be fully investigated, and they have remained engaged throughout the judicial process.

‘We expect all our officers and staff to maintain high levels of professional standards and behaviour and Stillman has shown a disregard for this expectation, which is totally unacceptable.

‘Any wrongdoing or unacceptable behaviour such as this will be subject to robust action and ensuring the highest standards and ethics within the Force remains a top priority.

‘We remain committed to improving the service we provide to victims of violence against women and girls’.