Police sergeant caught naked in Chatham park claimed he was ‘wringing out sweaty clothes’ after jog

POLICE SERGEANT CAUGHT NAKED IN CHATHAM PARK CLAIMED HE WAS ‘WRINGING OUT SWEATY CLOTHES’ AFTER JOG

A police sergeant caught naked near a children’s play park was spared a criminal conviction after prosecutors rejected appeals for him to face more serious charges, KentOnline can reveal.Pervert Simon Ince escaped with just a caution after he was spotted by shocked dog walkers loitering with no clothes on in woodland off Vale Drive in Chatham.Officers also found photos on his phone showing him masturbating while naked in the same area about five months before.But despite Kent Police – which later sacked Sgt Ince – wanting to throw the book at the 51-year-old, its appeals for him to face more severe charges were dismissed by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).Kent’s police and crime commissioner has described the outcome as “disappointing”, while the MP for the area says he will be taking the case up with the Attorney General to ensure “the public interest has been served and public confidence upheld”.The investigations into Sgt Ince’s disturbing behaviour began on February 2 last year when he was arrested by colleagues following reports of a naked man in Vale Drive.After being spotted, Sgt Ince quickly dressed into “keep-fit clothing” and started jogging around the park, but officers soon arrived and he was led away in handcuffs.He was questioned on suspicion of indecent exposure and outraging public decency – offences which carry potential prison sentences.His phone was also examined, revealing images of previous “similar incidents” in the same wooded area, including of Sgt Ince masturbating while naked.Kent Police challenged the decision, hoping to secure a charge of either indecent exposure or outraging public decency, but its appeal was dismissed by the CPS following a “detailed internal review.”Sgt Ince was charged with the public order offence, but at Brighton Magistrates’ Court on September 17 his solicitor requested he be given a conditional caution – a punishment that avoids prosecution but requires someone to admit their offending and abide by specific conditions for a specific time.After receiving the advice of the CPS, Kent Police representatives in court agreed to this outcome, although KentOnline understands that had more serious charges been authorized previously such a request would have been rejected by the force.Two weeks later Ince admitted the offence in a police interview, and on October 11 the conditions of his caution were read out at the same court, including that he attend a “thinking skills” online course and stay away from the Vale Drive park area.Kent’s Police and Crime Commissioner, Matthew Scott, says it is “disappointing” the CPS did not authorise more serious charges against Ince and that the outcome at court was a caution.“It is evident from the investigation and his fast-track dismissal that Kent Police took this matter seriously,” he added.“The guy obviously needs help but the proximity to the children’s park adds a much more disturbing element to the offending from which one would have expected a more serious sentencing.”