In 2026, the Offender Database recorded that 48-year-old Wissem Bonafia, a former special constable with Northamptonshire Police, was convicted of 22 sexual and violent offences. Following a trial at Northampton Crown Court, the defendant—of Barton Seagrave, Northamptonshire—was found guilty of crimes including rape and the possession of Category A child abuse images. It was reported that Bonafia, who resigned from his police duties in 2021, used his position of trust to mask a “heinous” catalogue of abuse that spanned multiple years and various locations including London and Lancashire.
The investigation established that Northamptonshire Police first received intelligence regarding Bonafia’s digital activities in 2020. Northamptonshire Police reported that when they raided his Barton Seagrave address in August of that year, multiple electronic devices were seized containing numerous indecent images and videos of females ranging from prepubescent age to 17. The prosecution reported that Bonafia had taken many of these images himself, including 23 Category A photographs in Lancashire over a decade ago and further images in London and Kettering more recently.
Judicial Findings and Investigative Detail
The court reported that Bonafia was a “disgrace to the uniform” who attempted to manipulate the justice system by persuading a young victim to lie about her age. Northampton Crown Court heard that the investigation was exceptionally complex, involving digital forensic analysis of 49 Category A images taken across different timeframes. The investigation established that while Bonafia pleaded guilty to ten charges—including counts of taking indecent photographs and assault occasioning actual bodily harm—he forced his victims to endure a two-week trial for the remaining 21 counts.
Lead investigator Detective Constable Caroline Knight presided over the case, praising the “resilience and bravery” of the women who provided evidence under thorough cross-examination. For his actions between 2014 and 2019, Bonafia was convicted of 22 total offences, including rape and inciting a child to engage in sexual activity. The judge noted that Bonafia would have been dismissed without notice from the police force had he not already resigned, and he was remanded in custody to await a substantial prison sentence.
Status and Statutory Requirements
For the crimes reported in England, the status of Wissem Bonafia as of March 31, 2026, was as follows:
- Custodial Sentence: Awaiting sentencing (Convicted 30 March 2026; remanded in custody).
- Sex Offenders Register: Notification requirements are active for life.
- SHPO Status: Sexual Harm Prevention Order active indefinitely.
- Judicial Oversight: Convicted at Northampton Crown Court, following a Northamptonshire Police investigation.
- Criminal Record: Rape (multiple counts); Taking indecent photographs of a child (Category A); Assault occasioning actual bodily harm (multiple counts); Perverting the course of justice.
- Origin: Barton Seagrave, Kettering, Northamptonshire.
Monitoring and Public Protection
Bonafia is managed as a high-risk Category 1 dangerous predator within the Northamptonshire area. Due to the nature of his conduct, which involved the rape of women, the production of the most serious category of child abuse images, and the betrayal of his role as a special constable, his management is a maximum priority. Authorities state that his history of coercive behaviour and attempts to pervert the course of justice require the most intensive level of monitoring by the Northamptonshire Police Public Protection Unit.
As a registered sex offender for life, Bonafia’s details are permanently logged on the national police database. Authorities state that his behaviour demonstrated a depraved disregard for the safety of vulnerable individuals and the laws he was sworn to uphold. Any failure to comply with his notification requirements, any attempt to contact survivors, or any future unauthorized access to internet-enabled devices in Barton Seagrave or Kettering will result in immediate arrest to ensure the ongoing safety of the community.
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