DURHAM POLICE OFFICER GROPED COLLEAGUE WHILE ON DUTY
Simon Huntington carried out a string of sexual acts towards two junior colleagues, a misconduct hearing at Peterlee Police Station this week was told.He would have been sacked if he hadn't resigned while under investigation last October, Chief Constable Rachel Bacon said.
Huntington put his hand on the fellow officer's thigh twice when they were in a police vehicle together, then kissed her breast in an office.
He groped another colleague, touching an area around her genitals, then put her in a headlock.
He admitted all five allegations against him.
A report from the hearing says: “Each of those allegations is expressly admitted and in any event the evidence of the women concerned, both of whom where junior to the former officer in rank, is clear and credible.” The hearing found his actions breached police professional standards.
CC Bacon wrote: “In my view, the Former Officer acted for sexual gratification towards colleagues on duty.
This was a fundamental failure of self-control, and it also treated the two women with a profound lack of respect and courtesy.” The Chief Constable said the behaviour amounted to gross misconduct and that he would have been dismissed if he had still been serving.
She added the behaviour was deliberate and repeated and caused harm both to the women involved and to public confidence in policing.
He will now be placed on the policing barred list, preventing him from working in policing in the future.
The College of Policing will be given a summary of the case which does not name either woman.
