New Zealand cop jailed for forcing prostitute to have sex

WELLINGTON - A former New Zealand police officer was sent to prison for two years Thursday for coercing a prostitute into having sex with him instead of issuing her 1,000 New Zealand dollars ($720) worth of traffic fines.

Nathan Connolly, 31, was sentenced in the Christchurch High Court after being found guilty at a trial last month on a charge of obtaining sex with consent induced by a threat.

He continued to have sex with her without paying for nine months.

The judge told him his sentence must be severe enough to act as a deterrent as it was imperative the public had faith in the police.

Connolly was a serving officer on traffic patrol at the time of the offences and the court heard that they often had sex in his police car.

He subsequently left the force.