PC quits after grabbing colleague's bottom at party

PC Benjamin French quit Gwent Police a day before a disciplinary panel was convened

A police officer sexually assaulted a female colleague by "lifting her skirt and grabbing her bottom", a misconduct hearing was told.

PC Benjamin French quit Gwent Police a day before a disciplinary panel was convened.

The former officer, who was off duty at the time, accepted his conduct amounted to gross misconduct, according to a written ruling by Chief Constable Pam Kelly.

She added that he would have been dismissed had he not resigned.

The incident happened as he and colleagues were at a social event in Cardiff on 19 December 2022.

Ms Kelly said there was "clear evidence of genuine remorse and insight by former PC French" and that he had "expressed his apologies" to the officer, referred to as PC A.

He did not attend the hearing but Ms Kelly said the former officer "cannot really remember grabbing PC A’s bottom but accepts PC A’s description of what he did".

"He states there was no sexual motivation and believes that he did it as a joke," said Ms Kelly.

"He thought it would be funny when clearly it is not."

She said that he stated that "alcohol played a significant part in his behaviour".

And there was "supporting evidence that his actions were out of character".

Ms Kelly went on to say that she was "satisfied that the misconduct is so serious that former PC French would have been dismissed if he had still been a serving police officer".

"In my view this behaviour falls far below the standard expected, not just of an officer, but anyone in society," she said, adding "this behaviour was totally unacceptable".

Ms Kelly added: "I am, however, grateful for the serving officers that have stepped forward and who have not been bystanders and that’s the sort of behaviour that I expect and applaud and the behaviour that will improve public confidence."