Drug dealer in relationship with rookie police officer unmasked as First Dates star
A young West Yorkshire Police officer was in a relationship with a drug dealer who appeared on Channel 4's First Dates before embarking on an affair with a top police boss.
PC Caitlin Howarth told former Chief Superintendent and Bradford district commander Daniel Greenwood in a text: "Why do I always have drama in my life... just been on a date with someone... a few months ago someone dropped a huge bag of drugs off at Ecceshill with my team when I wasn't in... It was his brother."
A damning report confirmed Howarth was talking about drug dealer Joseph Shaw, who was jailed for six years and six months for drug offences in 2023 alongside his brother Daniel.
Greenwood has this week been the subject of a misconduct hearing in relation to his relationship with Howarth, who was due to face criminal proceedings but these have since been dropped.
She had also asked Greenwood about whether her relationship would be "a problem" for her. A text sent on October 6, 2021, read: "I'm such a nightmare... I've been seeing someone and he's decided to tell me his half-brother is in prison...is that a problem for me."
Greenwood replied: "It could be. You need to do (another) notifiable association."
The report, accessed by reporters, stated Haworth met Shaw - also known as Joey - for a date at a Nando's restaurant a few days later on October 10 where she showed him a photograph taken at a crime scene. It was after that she messaged Greenwood to say: "Why do I always have drama in my life..."
It was on November 2 of the same year, Shaw was arrested. Howarth was arrested on the same day on suspicion of an offence contrary to section 26 of the Criminal Justice and Courts Act 2015, with the suspicion being she had supplied information to him.
YorkshireLive reported on Shaw's sentencing in 2023, where it was reported that he was a former First Dates contestant.
Haworth will face her own misconduct hearing. Criminal charges against her have been dropped by the Crown Prosecution Service. Greenwood's misconduct hearing found he would have been dismissed if he had not already resigned.