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| Police officer investigated over alleged sexual assaults on women | Police officer investigated over alleged sexual assaults on women |
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| A police officer is being investigated for allegedly sexually assaulting a number of women while on duty, the Guardian can reveal. The revelation comes as a chief officer admitted that sexual assaults against members of the public and victims of crime is among the top three corruption issues in the service. | A police officer is being investigated for allegedly sexually assaulting a number of women while on duty, the Guardian can reveal. The revelation comes as a chief officer admitted that sexual assaults against members of the public and victims of crime is among the top three corruption issues in the service. |
| The former constable, from the Cleveland force, was sacked last October after a disciplinary panel found him guilty of gross misconduct and upheld an allegation of sexually touching a woman he had arrested for shoplifting, in an incident later described by the Independent Police Complaints Commission as "reprehensible". | The former constable, from the Cleveland force, was sacked last October after a disciplinary panel found him guilty of gross misconduct and upheld an allegation of sexually touching a woman he had arrested for shoplifting, in an incident later described by the Independent Police Complaints Commission as "reprehensible". |
| He was arrested on suspicion of sexual assault and perverting the course of justice during the investigation but was released without charge after the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) decided not to prosecute him because of what it said was the "reliability" of the victim. | He was arrested on suspicion of sexual assault and perverting the course of justice during the investigation but was released without charge after the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) decided not to prosecute him because of what it said was the "reliability" of the victim. |
| However, in the last two weeks at least two other women have come forward also alleging they were sexually assaulted by the 36-year-old when he was a serving police officer, prompting Cleveland police to reopen its investigation. The IPCC, which managed the initial inquiry, has been alerted to the new allegations against the former officer. | However, in the last two weeks at least two other women have come forward also alleging they were sexually assaulted by the 36-year-old when he was a serving police officer, prompting Cleveland police to reopen its investigation. The IPCC, which managed the initial inquiry, has been alerted to the new allegations against the former officer. |
| A spokeswoman for the force said a new investigation was under way. "Allegations of sexual assault have been made against a 36-year-old man from the Cleveland area," she said. | A spokeswoman for the force said a new investigation was under way. "Allegations of sexual assault have been made against a 36-year-old man from the Cleveland area," she said. |
| The case is a major test of whether police and prosecutors have responded to calls by Keir Starmer, the director of public prosecutions, for the failings in the Jimmy Savile case to mark a "watershed" moment in the way sexual assault cases are investigated. | The case is a major test of whether police and prosecutors have responded to calls by Keir Starmer, the director of public prosecutions, for the failings in the Jimmy Savile case to mark a "watershed" moment in the way sexual assault cases are investigated. |
| Starmer wants police and prosecutors to believe victims more, and has promised to reinvestigate potentially hundreds of cases. "The approach of the police and prosecutors to credibility in sexual assault cases has to change," he said. | Starmer wants police and prosecutors to believe victims more, and has promised to reinvestigate potentially hundreds of cases. "The approach of the police and prosecutors to credibility in sexual assault cases has to change," he said. |
| Detectives investigating the Cleveland officer, whom the Guardian is not identifying, are now liaising with lawyers within the CPS. | Detectives investigating the Cleveland officer, whom the Guardian is not identifying, are now liaising with lawyers within the CPS. |
| In the Cleveland case, the officer was arrested on suspicion of indecent assault and questioned after the woman complained he had sexually assaulted her in his van following her arrest at a department store in Stockton-on-Tees in August 2011. The IPCC managed the investigation, and a lawyer from the CPS was involved throughout. | In the Cleveland case, the officer was arrested on suspicion of indecent assault and questioned after the woman complained he had sexually assaulted her in his van following her arrest at a department store in Stockton-on-Tees in August 2011. The IPCC managed the investigation, and a lawyer from the CPS was involved throughout. |
| The woman said the officer asked her to get into the passenger seat of his van and then said: "Let's get away from here." Her account was partly verified by information later taken from the van's GPS tracking device. | The woman said the officer asked her to get into the passenger seat of his van and then said: "Let's get away from here." Her account was partly verified by information later taken from the van's GPS tracking device. |
| He took her into an interview room, where she said he cuddled her. Afterwards he put her back into the van and said he would drive her back to her car. On the journey he told her: "If I have to deal with you again, I won't be as nice." | He took her into an interview room, where she said he cuddled her. Afterwards he put her back into the van and said he would drive her back to her car. On the journey he told her: "If I have to deal with you again, I won't be as nice." |
| She said he cleared the middle seat in the front of the van, leaned over and sexually assaulted her. The woman said he pulled up her top, fondled her, then tugged at her jeans and she believed she was going to be raped. He later drove her back to her car, where the woman claimed he said: "I didn't want sex, just a blow job, we could go somewhere now." | She said he cleared the middle seat in the front of the van, leaned over and sexually assaulted her. The woman said he pulled up her top, fondled her, then tugged at her jeans and she believed she was going to be raped. He later drove her back to her car, where the woman claimed he said: "I didn't want sex, just a blow job, we could go somewhere now." |
| She reported the alleged sexual assault immediately upon being released. | She reported the alleged sexual assault immediately upon being released. |
| But early CPS advice to the police and IPCC was that the "integrity" of the woman would "significantly undermine her credibility" and he was never charged with any offence, according to documents seen by the Guardian. | But early CPS advice to the police and IPCC was that the "integrity" of the woman would "significantly undermine her credibility" and he was never charged with any offence, according to documents seen by the Guardian. |
| At a disciplinary hearing last October, however, the woman gave evidence and was believed. The officer was found guilty of gross misconduct. It upheld an allegation that he sexually touched the woman, and sacked him immediately. The panel found that he had abused his position and acted without honesty or integrity and behaved unprofessionally. | At a disciplinary hearing last October, however, the woman gave evidence and was believed. The officer was found guilty of gross misconduct. It upheld an allegation that he sexually touched the woman, and sacked him immediately. The panel found that he had abused his position and acted without honesty or integrity and behaved unprofessionally. |
| The IPCC said of his actions: "His behaviour implied he would assist the woman only if she accepted his sexual advances. Such behaviour is reprehensible and it is correct he has been dismissed. | The IPCC said of his actions: "His behaviour implied he would assist the woman only if she accepted his sexual advances. Such behaviour is reprehensible and it is correct he has been dismissed. |
| "Such behaviour appears to be used to target those who are vulnerable, and it is a fundamental betrayal of trust." | "Such behaviour appears to be used to target those who are vulnerable, and it is a fundamental betrayal of trust." |
| The woman's case will now be referred back to the CPS along with evidence on the other women who have come forward. | The woman's case will now be referred back to the CPS along with evidence on the other women who have come forward. |
| Chief constable Mike Cunningham, the Association of Chief Police Officers' lead on professional standards, said this week that the abuse of power by officers for sexual purposes was one of the greatest corruption issues the service faced, because of the gross breach of trust it involved. | Chief constable Mike Cunningham, the Association of Chief Police Officers' lead on professional standards, said this week that the abuse of power by officers for sexual purposes was one of the greatest corruption issues the service faced, because of the gross breach of trust it involved. |
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