Former Devon and Cornwall Officer James Stillman Jailed

A police officer sent to support vulnerable women instead used his position to abuse them. He has now started a prison sentence.

James Stillman, a former Devon and Cornwall Police constable, has been jailed for two years and four months after admitting three charges of Misconduct in Public Office.

The sentence

Stillman, aged 32, of Chard, was sentenced at Bristol Crown Court on Friday 19 June. He pleaded guilty to two of the charges when he appeared at Taunton Magistrates’ Court on Friday 1 May, and had previously pleaded guilty to the third.

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

What he was charged with

The first charge concerned a vulnerable woman. James Stillman had attended her home address to take a statement after she reported being assaulted. While on duty, following an incident on 1 September 2025, he had sexual intercourse with her. In an initial police interview he denied that any sexual activity had taken place. He later admitted that they had had sex while he was on duty.

A second victim was a vulnerable teenaged girl he met through the course of his duties. In relation to her, he engaged in inappropriate sexual messaging and sexual touching.

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.

What the force said

Assistant Chief Constable Glen Mayhew said Stillman had a role to carry out 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,” he said. “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.”

ACC Mayhew said both victims had shown great courage in reporting the incidents and had 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,” he said. “Any wrongdoing or unacceptable behaviour such as this will be subject to robust action.”

He added that improving the service provided to victims of violence against women and girls remained a commitment for the force.