Former Northamptonshire special constable jailed for 22 years for sex offences
Wissem Bonafia convicted of multiple offences against adults and children
Wissem Bonafia, a former special constable for Northamptonshire Police, has been sentenced to 22 years in prison for numerous sex offences involving both adults and children.
In 2020, Northamptonshire Police received intelligence regarding Bonafia's possession of illegal images of children.
He was arrested in August when officers attended his home in Barton Seagrave and seized multiple electronic devices.
Among these devices, police discovered numerous indecent images and videos ranging from prepubescent children up to age 17, many of which had been taken by Bonafia himself.
The offences took place between 2014 and 2019.
Bonafia faced a second arrest in 2022 and multiple charges were brought against him, including six counts of raping a woman aged 16 years or over, one count of assault by penetration, and various charges involving indecent imagery and assault.
A trial commenced on 16th February 2026, during which two additional charges were added: one count of rape and one count of causing/inciting a child to engage in non-sexual activity.
Bonafia pled guilty to certain offences such as five counts of taking an indecent photograph of a child and one count of causing actual bodily harm, but the remaining charges went to trial.
The trial continued for two weeks, during which Bonafia admitted to a further four counts of assault.
At its conclusion on 30th March, Bonafia was found guilty of 12 additional offences but was acquitted of a few others.
He returned to court on 26th June where he received his 22-year prison sentence.
Lead investigator Detective Constable Caroline Knight remarked, “Bonafia’s actions represent a gross abuse of trust and a clear violation of the standards expected of anyone in a position of responsibility. His offending caused significant harm to his victims, and I want to commend their bravery in coming forward and supporting this investigation."
She emphasised that the sentence reflects the gravity of his crimes and assures accountability while recognising the survivors’ courage.
Detective Inspector Lee Jones expressed gratitude towards DC Knight for her comprehensive investigation and determination.
He stated, "Bonafia’s crimes are a disgrace to the uniform he once wore, and I hope this investigation and subsequent result at court reassures the wider public that we will do all we can to root out individuals like him."
Bonafia resigned from his duties as a special constable on 9th November 2021.
In an accelerated gross misconduct hearing on 16th February 2023, Northamptonshire Police determined that had he remained a serving officer, Bonafia would have been dismissed without notice.