Officer cleared over daughter's abuse allegations

The police officer, who works for West Yorkshire Police, can now return to full duties

A West Yorkshire Police officer who was accused of being violent and abusive towards his 13-year-old autistic daughter has been cleared of gross misconduct.

The Crown Prosecution Service advised no further action against Officer A following a criminal investigation, but he faced a disciplinary hearing with his employer.

The officer was not named throughout the proceedings in order to protect the identity of the child, who had accused him of physical and verbal abuse when she lived with him between March and August 2020.

He will now be able to resume his career, having been on restricted duties until the outcome of the process.

Her allegations included a claim that Officer A threatened to flush her head down the toilet and once used a washing line to tie her up in his garden.

In a voice recording, the officer was heard telling his daughter: "Shut your little, stupid, gobby mouth before you get brained, because that's all you understand."

In response, Officer A said the voice recordings his daughter made were out of context.

He described her as a "very difficult girl who had been verbally and physically abusive", claiming she had "developed a hatred" for him.

The decision, which the panel determined on the balance of probabilities, was handed down earlier following a five-day hearing at West Yorkshire Police's headquarters in Wakefield.

Det Ch Supt Tanya Wilkins said the force was "absolutely committed" to protecting victims of domestic abuse and took any reports involving a police officer "extremely seriously".

"A panel has found that the reports against this officer are not proven," she said.

"The officer has not breached the Standards of Professional Behaviour and will now return to full duties."