A former Greater Manchester Police officer who resigned in disgrace after sending explicit messages to women while on duty has been suspended from his role with the Football Association of Wales. Michael Jones, who served with the force responsible for policing Oldham, quit moments before a disciplinary hearing in June after an internal investigation uncovered his misconduct.

PC Jones bombarded his contacts with texts detailing his erotic fantasies, including interests in spanking in public and BDSM. He had sex with two of the women he messaged. The disciplinary hearing was told that one of his contacts was portraying a child during their exchange, which Jones later defended as fantasy role play between consenting adults, though he acknowledged it involved 'daddy-daughter' role play.

It has now emerged that Jones was also serving as the referees officer for north-east Wales under the FAW. The association confirmed he has been suspended pending an ongoing safeguarding investigation. A spokesperson said the suspension is a precautionary measure and should not be interpreted as a finding of misconduct.

Initially, when questioned by WalesOnline, Jones claimed the misconduct case involved a different person. After being told this was known to be a lie, he admitted it was him. He stated that he suffers with ADHD and autism and described his actions as "a foolish mistake" from more than five years ago. He added that both the English FA and GMP investigations concluded there were no safeguarding concerns regarding children or vulnerable people.

On his school alumni profile, Jones had written that he had "done some fantastic things" since joining GMP in 2009, including working as a PCSO with North Wales Police. He described his policing work as "sexy stuff" like being in a riot and driving fast on blue lights. He also claimed to work at Manchester United and Old Trafford cricket ground, but Manchester United confirmed he was never an employee, and his activities were part of his policing role.

For Oldham residents, this case raises questions about conduct within GMP, which oversees policing in the town. The force has faced scrutiny in recent years, and this incident highlights ongoing concerns about the behaviour of some officers.

The FAW investigation remains ongoing. Jones has expressed a desire to move on, but the fallout from his resignation from GMP continues to impact his current roles.