Former police officer barred for assaulting women

Ex-PC Ryan Busby was convicted of four counts of sexual assault by touching against four women known to him

A former Sussex Police officer has been barred from serving in any police role after admitting he sexually assaulted four women at a social event.

Ryan Busby, 25, pleaded guilty to four counts of sexual assault by touching at Guildford Magistrates' Court on 8 July.

An accelerated misconduct hearing has proven gross misconduct against the former PC, who would have been dismissed had he not already resigned.

He is due to be sentenced at Staines Magistrates' Court on 29 September.

Busby assaulted the women, all of whom were known to him, while off duty at a social event on 20 December last year.

He had been suspended from duty and resigned from Sussex Police on 19 August.

Following Thursday's accelerated misconduct hearing, Det Ch Insp Sarah Gillies, of the force's Professional Standards Department, said: "Police officers must uphold exceptionally high standards both on and off duty.

"Not only did Ryan Busby's behaviour fall far below what we and the public expect, it amounted to criminal offending. He has rightly been prohibited from serving as a police officer again."

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