Force sacks officer convicted of sexual assault

The probationary officer has been found to have committed gross misconduct

A probationary police officer has been dismissed after he was convicted of sexually assaulting a woman after a night out.

PC James Barrett-Barnett, 25, of Bedfordshire Police, was found guilty of two counts of sexual assault and one count of sexual assault by penetration on April 16 at Huntingdon Crown Court.

After a misconduct hearing - overseen by Nick Dean, Cambridgeshire Police's chief constable - Barrett-Barnett was found to have committed gross misconduct.

In his ruling, Mr Dean wrote: "There is little doubt in the public’s eye that he has damaged the reputation of the police service and bought discredit to it."

He added: "I consider that his conduct and subsequent convictions are so serious that dismissal would be justified.

"I therefore find that his conduct amounts to gross misconduct."

The case followed an investigation by a professional standards department in relation to an incident that took place in Bedford on 29 January 2022, while the officer was off duty.

Barrett-Barnett, of Walsall Road, Walsall, has yet to be sentenced for his offences.