EX-POLICE OFFICER JAILED FOR BRUTAL ASSAULT AND GASLIGHTING EX-GIRLFRIEND

A former police officer has been sentenced to prison for repeatedly attacking his ex-girlfriend, including instances of punching and throwing her across a room, which made her feel imprisoned within her own home. Paul Whitehurst, aged 53, who served as a detective sergeant in Warwickshire Police's anti-corruption unit at the time, admitted to five charges of assault by beating. Despite this, there were reports of complaints about his conduct toward two other women made to police, but he was not formally charged in those cases. Whitehurst, from Nantwich in Cheshire, collaborated with Warwickshire Police for over twenty years before retiring in May, and he was sentenced to 18 weeks in prison. The judge, Simon Berkson, acknowledged that Whitehurst would likely be released the same day due to the time already served. The judge criticized him, stating, "You should have known better in private. What you did was very different from your public role as a police officer." During an incident on December 13, at his ex-girlfriend's residence, Whitehurst pinned her to the floor, ripped her underwear, and tried to gaslight her — an act intended to make her doubt her perception of reality. The victim, referred to as Holly, described being so terrified she wet herself and was unaware her breasts had been exposed as she ran outside screaming for help. Holly stated that Whitehurst told her he would take her to bed while assaulting her, and she suffered severe anxiety, leading to hospital treatment and ongoing trauma. The court heard that this incident was one of five counts Whitehurst pleaded guilty to, including throwing a drink over her at a pub and tossing her across a caravan, resulting in bruising. Holly said her life has been fundamentally affected, as she now feels constant anxiety, considers selling her house and car, and no longer feels safe. She also mentioned that Whitehurst has destroyed her perception of police officers. He denied all charges initially but later changed his plea to guilty. His defense argued he felt remorse and that alcohol influenced his behavior. A restraining order has been applied for to prevent him from entering Nantwich. It was also revealed that allegations of harassment and abuse by Whitehurst toward Charlotte Smith, another woman, were made during his employment, but the case was dropped after initial investigation. Warwickshire Police expressed support for the conviction and indicated that Whitehurst was removed from his role following complaints, with a misconduct hearing in June 2024 concluding he would have been dismissed had he not already retired. The case underscores the importance of accountability, especially when offenses are committed by individuals tasked with enforcing the law.