Ex-PC guilty of gross misconduct for 'assaulting colleagues'

An assault happened in the ops room at Reading Police Station, the hearing was told

A former police officer accused of sexually assaulting two of his colleagues has been found guilty of gross misconduct.

A Thames Valley Police hearing was told Reading-based PC Clinton Geldard carried out three sexual assaults in April and May last year.

On one occasion he grabbed the bottom of a junior female officer he was mentoring, the panel heard.

PC Geldard did not contest the evidence and did not attend the hearing.

Panel chairman Mr Muzamil Khan said if the ex-officer had not already resigned from the force he would have been sacked.

The panel heard how he poked an officer's bottom in April in the ops room at Reading Police Station.

'Embarrassed and uncomfortable'

In May, he sexually assaulted a second colleague on two occasions, the panel heard, the first time during the Royal Wedding clear up, when he grabbed her bottom when she bent over.

The second assault was at a petrol station when he poked her with a fuel cap, the hearing was told.

He admitted making repeated lewd comments to the second officer.

Geldard was interviewed under police caution and denied the assaults, but no criminal charges were ever brought.

Mr Khan told the hearing Geldard's behaviour made his colleagues feel "embarrassed and uncomfortable" and was particularly unacceptable because he was a police officer.

The panel found Geldard breached standards of professional behaviour in relation to authority, respect and courtesy, and discreditable conduct.