West Midlands Police officer's visits made woman 'feel sick'

A jury cleared PC Colin Noble of misconduct in a public office at trial in 2019

A domestic abuse victim said a police constable made dozens of unannounced visits to her home, leaving her feeling "sick".

PC Colin Noble, 49, of West Midlands Police, is accused of "trying it on" with victims, and faces dismissal for gross misconduct.

A disciplinary panel heard he asked the woman, known as Miss A, questions about who she was sleeping with.

It is alleged he also touched her leg and neck and asked to see her tattoos.

A misconduct hearing at the force's headquarters is expected to last 10 days

PC Noble "asked if I had ever slept with a black man" on one of up to 30 visits to her home, Miss A said. He also allegedly told her she was "too pretty" for her boyfriend and could "do better".

"I would just play it off and say I couldn't, and he said 'well you could have me'," she told the panel.

PC Noble's visits became so frequent, she said she would call her mother after he left to say: "Guess who's just turned up again?"

"It's just not nice," she said, "because you believe you can trust people but you can't," adding that the conversations made her feel "weird and sick".

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PC Noble, an officer with 17 years' experience who was based in Stechford, was cleared by a jury at Birmingham Crown Court in 2019 of misconduct in a public office.

Miss A, and a second complainant known as Miss C, came forward following publicity around his trial.

Miss C said she and the PC developed a "semi-relationship", sending "flirty" texts while she was on bail for a minor offence.

The domestic abuse victim told the hearing PC Noble reacted to her outfit in a police interview, asking her: "How can you be single, wearing those boots?"

The hearing, at Lloyd House in Birmingham, is due to last up to 10 days.