Ex-PC who quit after assaults seized knife in Reading attacks

The hearing into Cave's conduct was held a day before his sentencing earlier this month

A former police officer who quit after being convicted of assaulting his ex-partner seized the knife used by the attacker who killed three men in Reading, it has emerged.

Lewis Cave was convicted of assaulting the woman and two of her relatives after confronting them at a house in Tilehurst, Berkshire, in August 2023.

Earlier this month, Cave was sentenced to a 12-month community order and told to do 100 hours unpaid work.

Thames Valley Police (TVP) documents show he was well regarded by colleagues and was "professional and compassionate" with members of the public.

The force said Cave was one of the first officers at the scene when Khairi Saadallah killed James Furlong, David Wails and Joe Ritchie-Bennett in Forbury Gardens in June 2020.

Saadallah was convicted under anti-terror laws and given a whole-life term in 2021 after admitting murder and the attempted murder of three other men.

Judge Coroner Sir Adrian Fulford found major problems with intelligence sharing between authorities after an inquest concluded in April.

Khairi Saadallah was given a whole-life term in 2021

Cave was convicted of three counts of assault and another of threatening violence to secure entry at Oxford Magistrates’ Court in June and sentenced on 9 July.

TVP’s chief constable Jason Hogg held an accelerated misconduct hearing on 8 July, which concluded Cave would have been sacked had he not quit earlier.

But he said “there was no doubt” about the former officer's work rate.

“The former officer was described as a good team player and was professional and compassionate with his interactions with the public,” Mr Hogg wrote.

“I also noted the fact that former PC Cave was one of the first officers on the scene of the Reading terrorist attack and seized the knife used by the offender.”

But Mr Hogg concluded the incident with his former partner was "serious" and "fell far below standards of behaviour expected of a member of the police service".

He also said Cave had "denied any wrongdoing and failed to take responsibility for his actions."

Mr Hogg added Cave planned to appeal his conviction, and if that was overturned he could appeal to the Police Appeals Tribunal (PAT).