Former police officer sentenced for sexual assault

A former police constable has been sentenced and put on the sex offender's register after admitting assault and sexual assault.

Chris Rann, 47, from Hitchin, resigned from Hertfordshire Police after being suspended during an internal investigation.

The offences, which relate to one victim, took place in December 2024.

At a hearing at Luton Magistrates' Court on Wednesday, Rann was sentenced to a 12-month high-level community order and given a restraining order against the victim.

He was ordered to do 200 hours of unpaid work and is also required to spend 15 days in rehabilitation.

Rann was told to pay £500 in compensation and £85 in costs.

He first appeared at Luton Magistrates' Court on 3 July where he pleaded guilty to two counts of assault by beating and one count of sexual assault.

He had been suspended from duty pending the conclusion of an internal investigation and subsequently resigned from his post.

Hertfordshire Police said a conduct hearing would be held in due course.

Deputy Chief Constable Andy Mariner said: "Rann's conduct fell well below the standards we expect in Hertfordshire.

"Officers and staff who fall below our policing standards and, in this case, commit criminal offences, damage the public's confidence in what we do, which in turn makes our job of catching criminals and protecting victims harder."