Drunk officer shouted abuse and joked about rape

The verbal abuse happened while police officers were on a night out in The White Rabbit pub in Oxford

A former police officer who made sexually abusive and derogatory comments on a work night out would have been sacked had he not quit, a misconduct panel has ruled.

Thames Valley Police (TVP) officer Christopher Kidd's behaviour would have justified dismissal to "protect the reputation" of the force, the panel found.

The former PC made the comments in September 2023 when he and a group of officers joined a table where two women were sitting at The White Rabbit Pub in Oxford.

Mr Kidd shouted religious slurs and abusive language, before telling one of the women "don't worry I'm not going to rape you, well not yet", the hearing heard.

One of the women told the panel the former PC had grown increasingly "loud" and "somewhat aggressive" before making the abusive and sexually explicit comments.

The panel, including TVP's Assistant Chief Constable Dennis Murray, concluded Mr Kidd's actions amounted to gross misconduct on the balance of probabilities.

The woman told the panel: "Young women shouldn't have these experiences, he's in a position of power and trust.

"If he's saying that to a complete stranger, what is he saying to other people?"

Kicked door

Mr Kidd, who did not attend the hearings, resigned after the incident.

In a statement read out on his behalf, he accepted some of the allegations made against him, including that he had made a "drunken and inappropriate attempt of a joke" about rape.

But he denied suggesting he would rape the woman.

He also formally apologised for the comments made to the women and said he did not mean it in a "malicious manner" and his behaviour had been "poor attempt at humour".

Mr Kidd is the 23rd TVP officer this year who has either been sacked for misconduct or who would have been if they had not already resigned.

In August 2021, a drunk Mr Kidd was arrested after verbally abusing night club goers and staff, warning staff he was a police officer and kicking a venue door.

He also received a final written warning from TVP in May 2022, related to a separate incident on a night out in Banbury.