PC found to have lied over victim contact

PC Liam Bateman worked at Cowley police station in Oxford

A police officer found to have lied when he said he had spoken to a woman who had reported coercive control would have been sacked had he not quit.

PC Liam Bateman claimed he spoke to the woman on 28 March 2024 but, on being contacted the next day by a sergeant, she said they had not spoken for a fortnight.

Thames Valley Police's Chief Constable Jason Hogg found Mr Bateman, who worked in Cowley, Oxford, "knowingly made false records" on the force's computer system about his contact with the woman.

Mr Hogg found he had also "failed to properly consider the risk" to the woman and her children and that his behaviour amounted to gross misconduct.

He also found Mr Bateman was told by superiors to carry out further enquiries into the woman's case but that he had not.

Mr Bateman resigned from the force in May 2024 and he did not attend the accelerated misconduct hearing into his behaviour earlier this month.

His name has been added to the College of Policing's barred list.