'I don't feel safe dialling 999 after police officer's behaviour'

Charlotte Smith said she could no longer trust Warwickshire Police

A woman who was bullied and intimidated by a former police officer has said she is still too scared to ring 999 if there was an emergency, adding that he has destroyed her faith in justice.

Charlotte Smith said she had been terrified by Paul Whitehurst's behaviour and had faced a five-year battle to be believed.

She had reported him to Warwickshire Police in 2020 and following a hearing on Wednesday, the former anti-corruption officer was found to have abused his position to start a sexual relationship with her.

A panel found the 54-year-old would have been dismissed for gross misconduct if he had not previously resigned.

Assistant Chief Constable Claire Armes said the former detective sergeant's conduct was "intentional, deliberate and targeted a vulnerable person".

"He held a position of trust and he abused his authority for sexual gain, and a form of violence against women," she told the tribunal.

"He has caused harm to Charlotte and reputational harm not just to Warwickshire Police but to the police as a whole."

Charlotte Smith said she had doorbell camera footage of Whitehurst outside her home on more than 30 occasions

Ms Smith said she was planning on moving away from the Warwickshire Police force area.

"I wouldn't consider ringing the police if something happened to me now," she said.

"The police are meant to be there to protect people, but I have no trust in them now and I'm prepared to move so that I can feel safe."

She first met Whitehurst in 2013 when she was 18.

In his role with Warwickshire Police's professional standards team, he then investigated another officer who it was alleged had formed an inappropriate relationship with her.

Six years later, in 2020, he and Ms Smith started a relationship which lasted a few months.

She then reported him to Warwickshire Police, alleging that he had stalked, intimidated, harassed and controlled her.

Assistant Chief Constable Claire Armes said Whitehurst's behaviour was "clearly gross misconduct and a breach of multiple standards"

In September 2021, Warwickshire Police ordered Whitehurst not to contact Ms Smith again.

However, he continued to repeatedly visit her home and contact her by phone and social media.

'Inappropriate' images

The tribunal was held after an investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct.

When examined by police, his work mobile phone was found to have 714 "inappropriate" images on it.

The images included seven explicit sexual videos and photos of naked men and topless women.

The tribunal also heard he had deleted WhatsApp from his phone in an attempt to frustrate the investigation into his conduct.

Whitehurst, of Holway, in Flintshire denied the charges and chose not to attend the tribunal.

He argued his right to a private life had been breached by the investigation and the misconduct proceedings.

"This is clearly gross misconduct and a breach of multiple standards," said Assistant Chief Constable Armes.

"He offered no mitigation and the panel was not persuaded that there had been any breach of his rights to privacy."

Paul Whitehurst was given a prison sentence for assaulting a woman

It is not the first gross misconduct hearing Whitehurst has faced. In 2024, a tribunal ruled he would have been dismissed had he not resigned, over his behaviour towards another woman.

In the same year, he was jailed for 18 weeks after admitting five charges of assault against her, and in May 2025 was given a community order after harassing her and breaching the terms of a restraining order.

He was charged by Cheshire Police while living in Nantwich at the time.

However, Whitehurst has never faced criminal charges related to his behaviour towards Ms Smith.

Ms Smith said she would not be here without the support of her partner and family

"If I had been listened to five years ago then I and other women would have been better protected," she said.

"He absolutely destroyed me, I'm not the person I was five years ago.

"His actions had a devastating impact on me personally and emotionally, and the consequences are something I continue to live with every day.

"Abuse of power within the police should never be ignored or excused."

Ms Smith has also asked the Police and Crime Commissioner to request that his police pension be forfeited.

"He has shown no remorse for his actions," she said.

"I'm speaking out because no-one should have to go through what I did, especially at the hands of someone in a position of trust and authority."