Support quality, independent, local journalism…that matters

From just £1 a month you can help fund our work – and use our website without adverts. Become a member today

A Gwent Police officer has resigned after allegations, including “predatory” behaviour towards colleagues, were brought to light.

The police officer, who has not been named by Gwent Police, faced three allegations at a public hearing on January 5.

The officer, who is referred to in a document from the hearing only as ‘Former Police Officer A’, did not attend and resigned before the hearing – sometime on or after December 28, 2023.

The officer faced three allegations by three separate witnesses, which all took place between July 2021 and May 2022.

The allegations were:

• Sending “inappropriate messages” to a colleague and communicating in a sexually inappropriate manner;
• Sending “inappropriate messages” to a second colleague which were of a “sexualised, flirtatious and suggestive manner”;
• Sending messages to a domestic abuse victim who was involved in a police investigation and then telling her to delete “anything from her phone that she didn’t want police to see” – thereby seeking to interfere with the investigation.

The officer’s conduct was found to amount to gross misconduct in each case and collectively.

The behaviour was also a breach of Gwent Police’s Standards of Professional Behaviour on four counts; honesty and integrity, authority, respect and courtesy, equality and diversity, and discreditable conduct.

Gwent Police Chief Constable Pam Kelly, who chaired the panel on January 5, said: “The behaviour of this former officer is totally unacceptable.

“The communities of Gwent and the officers’ colleagues deserve to be treated with professionalism and respect.”

She added: “I am grateful to the victims who came forward, and their bravery is the standard I expect and very much appreciate. By coming forward they have allowed us to take action and remove this individual.

“We will continue to send a clear message to colleagues and the public that this behaviour has no place in our service, and we will pursue and remove those who damage confidence in our police service.”

“A position of trust and responsibility”

In the written report that details the decision of the January 5 hearing, CC Kelly wrote that it was “entirely appropriate to impose disciplinary action” following the officer’s actions.

While the officer had resigned before the public hearing in Cwmbran, the chief said that he would have “been immediately dismissed had the former officer not resigned”.

CC Kelly also wrote that the officer abused a “position of trust and responsibility” and that his “rank and level of responsibility adds to the seriousness as there is an imbalance of power and authority”.

She added that the officer had engaged in “predatory behaviour motivated by a desire to establish a sexual or improper emotional relationship” concerning the first and second allegations.

In the officer’s conduct with the vulnerable domestic abuse victim, CC Kelly wrote that former Police Officer A’s actions “brought discredit on the police service and are capable of undermining public confidence”.

The officer will be placed on the College of Policing’s barred list in due course.

There are two other upcoming misconduct hearings for Gwent Police officers in January. More information about these can be on Gwent Police’s website.