Bristol police officer charged with coercive control and suffocation

Mitchell Curtis has been suspended from the Avon and Somerset police force

A serving police officer has been charged with coercive and controlling behaviour, intentional suffocation and criminal damage.

PC Mitchell Curtis, 33, of Avon and Somerset Police, was arrested in October 2022 on the day the offences were reported.

The officer, who is based in Bristol, is on conditional bail and is due to appear at Bristol Magistrates' Court on 3 August.

He is currently suspended from duty.

PC Curtis is charged with two counts of engaging in coercive and controlling behaviour and one count each of intentional suffocation and criminal damage.

The alleged offences against a women are said to have occurred in the South Gloucestershire area between February 2021 and October 2022.

'Serious charges'

Det Supt Lisa Simpson said: "These are very serious charges against a serving police officer which have been subject to a detailed investigation over the past seven months.

"We're unable to go into further details at this stage as we cannot risk prejudicing the ongoing criminal proceedings."

An investigation is also being conducted by Avon and Somerset Police's Professional Standards Department (PSD).