Hertfordshire Police detective sent 'avalanche' of abusive messages to woman

Det Insp Phillip Moss, who had been in the police for 28 years, resigned last month

A police detective sent an "avalanche of abusive messages" to a woman, a misconduct hearing was told.

Hertfordshire Police ex-Det Insp Phillip Moss, who had had a 28-year career, resigned on 13 December and has been told he cannot serve again.

A report showed messages from the ex-detective to a woman named as Miss A, his former partner.

The hearing was told that "nearly all" of the 365 pages of messages were "challenging".

Det Insp Moss also called the woman offensive names in front of her daughter, the report said.

Chief Constable Charlie Hall, who wrote the report, said Mr Moss had "cause to be angry" after Miss A was unfaithful to him, said the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

But he added: "I have no doubt that anyone receiving such persistent and continuous abuse from someone they loved would have found this harmful to them."

He sent the messages between 30 July and 11 October 2019.

'Hurtful and distressing'

The report reads:"Former DI Moss has clearly sent a very large volume of messages, a great many of which contain abusive, offensive, and insulting words.

"These are in the great majority directed towards Miss A and are clearly intended to be hurtful and distressing to her.

The chief constable noted Miss A had appeared "more and more vulnerable" as time went on, "a fact Mr Moss must have recognised - but his behaviour does not abate".

Miss A sent Mr Moss "profuse apologies, explanation and attempts to placate and repair [the] relationship, but he was having none of it as the continued abusive messages showed".

Mr Moss who had "an otherwise unblemished record" admitted his behaviour amounted to a breach of the Standards of Professional Behaviour for discreditable conduct, and a breach of authority, respect and courtesy.

His name will be added to the College of Policing barred list.