Revealed: Private messages between Campbelltown cop and underage teen he allegedly impregnated

Court documents have revealed the private messages sent between Campbelltown police officer Matthew Townsend and the underage teen he allegedly impregnated.

Police will allege probationary constable Matthew Townsend plied a 15-year-old girl with alcohol and vapes in exchange for sex on two occasions. Picture: AAP

The heartbreaking moment a vulnerable 15-year-old girl asked the probationary cop who allegedly got her pregnant if he knew the cost of an abortion has been revealed in a series of secret messages sent between the pair.

The teen, who cannot be named, had agreed to “hook up” with probationary constable Matthew Townsend when he contacted her on social media in August this year, after the pair met a few days earlier while he was investigating unrelated claims she had been assaulted at her school.

Police will allege Townsend plied the teen with alcohol and vapes in exchange for sex on two occasions, in August and September, resulting in her falling pregnant with his child.

Townsend allegedly transferred $800 to the teen for an abortion, telling her “no one can know I’m the father”.

However, the matter was subsequently reported to police and Townsend was arrested and charged with two counts of having sexual intercourse with a child aged 14-16 years and one count of misconduct in public office. He was remanded in custody at the time without bail.

While some details of the case against Townsend were made public earlier this month during an unsuccessful Supreme Court bail application, The Daily Telegraph can now reveal the contents of social media messages between the pair, which are understood to be crucial in proving the case against Townsend.

Among the litany of communications are Instagram messages showing the moment the teen disclosed her pregnancy to Townsend.

“We got an issue,” she wrote, before sending him a picture of a positive pregnancy test.

Townsend allegedly replied “what the actual f**k”, then asked if she planned to keep the child.

The teen replied “Idk” — short for “I don’t know”.

The court documents reveal she went on to ask Townsend the cost of an abortion and whether one would hurt.

“I’m not sure, bub,” he allegedly replied, but agreed to pay the cost of the procedure.

The court heard that in another series of messages, the teen asked Townsend if he would be mad if she kept the baby.

He allegedly replied no, but said he would never be able to acknowledge the child as his own.

In further conversation, the teen advised Townsend she had booked an abortion for $800 and asked him to transfer the money to a friend’s bank account so her mother wouldn’t see the transaction.

“I’m scared,” she told him.

“I know, I’m sorry,” he allegedly replied.

The court heard the teen told Townsend later that day that she hadn’t gone through with the procedure, as she did not want to “kill an unborn child”.

“I understand, however if your (sic) keeping it then no one can know I’m the father! Please promise me that,” Townsend allegedly wrote back.

The court documents did not reveal whether the teen ultimately terminated the pregnancy or not.

The case will return to court early next year.

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