FORMER INSPECTOR WHO CARRIED OUT UNWARRANTED STRIP SEARCHES FOUND GUILTY OF SEXUAL OFFENCES
A former police officer has been convicted of historical sexual offenses related to strip searches, following an inquiry by Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary’s Operation Marmion team.Gerard Hutchings, residing on Wingrove Road in Ashurst, faced 11 charges, including indecent assault and causing someone to engage in sexual activity without consent.
He denied the allegations initially; however, after a two-week trial at Bristol Crown Court, a jury found him guilty of all counts on Monday, 30 March.
Hutchings, aged 66, had previously admitted to 17 counts of misconduct in public office during an earlier hearing.
Sentencing for all charges is scheduled to take place at the same court on 24 July.
The charges stem from offenses committed between 1999 and 2007 across multiple police stations in the Hampshire area, including locations within the New Forest, when Hutchings served as an inspector.
The victims, 18 men aged between 17 and 31 at the time, were reportedly alone with Hutchings during the incidents.
They alleged that Hutchings conducted illegal and unwarranted strip searches while giving cautions or reprimands for minor infractions, with some cases involving sexual assaults during these procedures.
During the courtroom proceedings, eight victims provided testimonies describing their feelings during the searches.
Many recounted that Hutchings justified the invasive searches by suggesting they were standard procedure should the victims end up in prison.
Hutchings had previously served a prison sentence of 16 months in 2008 after admitting to 11 misconduct in public office charges related to similar offenses in 2007.
He was dismissed from the police in 2007 following disciplinary procedures after complaints were lodged.
The 2020 investigation was initiated after a man reported being subjected to a similar strip search in 2005.
The inquiry was led by Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary’s Operation Marmion team, specializing in investigating allegations of sexual abuse within institutions or involving prominent individuals.
Authorities cross-checked Hutchings’ police notebooks against official records, identifying 373 individuals who had contact with him at police stations.
All identified individuals were visited in person, where officers used a non-leading questionnaire to determine if they had been victims of any misconduct.
Ultimately, 17 people provided video-recorded statements about their experiences with Hutchings.
