Richard Jones’ ‘violent behaviour’ was ‘sexually motivated’ and brought about ‘psychological stress’ to the sufferer, a misconduct panel concluded
A police sergeant was sacked after he put his fingers round a girl’s throat and made a grossly inappropriate sexual remark after a day of consuming in Swansea for St Patrick’s Day. Police sergeant Richard Jones from South Wales Police denied the allegations however a misconduct listening to discovered the claims to be true and concluded Jones’ actions amounted to gross misconduct.
The listening to heard Jones had been out in Swansea consuming alcohol with plenty of different officers for round 5 hours when the incident in query occurred inflicting important “psychological hurt” to the girl concerned.
He was dismissed with out discover because of the “violent nature” and “seriousness” of his actions. For our free each day briefing on the largest points going through the nation signal as much as the Wales Issues e-newsletter right here.
The listening to was instructed Jones and plenty of officers had met up in Swansea for a day and night time out whereas off responsibility on March 17, 2023. Jones had consumed three pints of Guinness at two areas earlier within the afternoon earlier than the group attended a bottomless brunch at Turtle Bay when extra alcohol was consumed.
The group then moved to bars in Wind Avenue the place they have been joined by one other officer and her buddy, who was referred to all through the listening to as Ms A. Jones and Ms A had not met earlier than the day in query.
In the course of the course of the night a dialog came about between the pair wherein Ms A disclosed particulars of her intercourse life along with her husband.
Afterward at The Perch venue in Wind Avenue Jones approached Ms Some time she was away from the group.
The listening to was instructed that it was at this level that the sergeant positioned his fingers round her throat and exerted strain earlier than saying: ‘”I’ll take you outdoors and f*** you actually arduous and choke you till you c**” or phrases to that impact.
The misconduct panel concluded these actions have been “undesirable and uninvited on the a part of Ms A”.
Ms A did not initially inform her buddy of the incident as she was involved about the issue it may create for her within the office. Jones’ actions got here to mild when Ms A spoke to her brother-in-law, who’s a police officer, concerning the incident a while after the date in query.
Ms A’s brother-in-law instructed her that he would want to report the matter with the girl displaying some annoyance with the proposed plan of action as she didn’t need to trigger issues for her buddy – the officer she arrived with.
The misconduct panel discovered the allegations confirmed and concluded the sergeant’s actions amounted to gross misconduct.
It mentioned that “the officer’s violent behaviour was sexually motivated”.
The listening to additionally recognized a number of options which meant the officer had “excessive culpability” for his actions – together with the numerous impression Jones’ actions may have on public belief in policing and his abuse of his place of belief and authority.
It additionally concluded that the extent of hurt attributable to his actions was “excessive”, pointing to the psychological misery skilled by the sufferer which resulted in her taking day without work work and accessing counselling. The quantity of alcohol he consumed on the day was discovered to be an aggravating issue for his behaviour.
Assessing his actions the panel concluded that it “didn’t really feel that something lower than dismissal with out discover fitted the seriousness of the incident in query.” Jones was subsequently dismissed from the pressure with out discover.
A report may even be made to the school of policing so as to add Jones’ title to the policing barred listing.
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