Ex-Warwickshire Police officer convicted of second charge

Alan Butler committed the offences while working as a police staff investigator

An ex-Warwickshire Police officer has been convicted of a second charge following relationships he had with two women whose cases he was involved in investigating.

Alan Butler, 64, from Nuneaton, has been found guilty of two charges of misconduct in a public office.

The first charge related to "a personal relationship" he had with a woman between October 2015 and August 2017.

Butler, who has inoperable throat cancer, a court heard, was given bail.

Judge Anthony Potter said he was adjourning the case and ordering a pre-sentence report.

The 64-year-old was convicted of the first offence on Monday and the second on Tuesday.

The second charge alleges similar conduct by Butler, who is from the Camp Hill area, with another woman whose case he was investigating in 2017.

The second woman said he had visited her at her home and had gone upstairs to use the toilet.

When he came out and she asked him to go back downstairs, he told her: "I'm glad you said that, because if you hadn't I was about to do something unprofessional. I nearly kissed you."

At Warwick Crown Court, prosecutor Grace Ong said Butler had also touched that woman inappropriately.

His barrister, Christopher Millington QC, said Butler was the principal carer for his wife and there was potentially no-one else who could take over those responsibilities.

Judge Potter granted him bail with a condition of residence at his home address.

He told Butler, who committed the offences while working as a police staff investigator after retiring as an officer after 30 years in the force: "You should draw nothing from the fact that I am bailing you.

"I do that to enable you to engage with medical professionals and to continue to care for your wife."

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Warwickshire Police said Butler was dismissed from the force in March, "after a misconduct hearing found he had breached the standards of authority, respect and courtesy, honesty and integrity, and discreditable conduct".

Head of Warwickshire Police Professional Standards Department Supt Daf Goddard said he "used his position of trust to take advantage of a vulnerable woman and attempted to take advantage of another vulnerable woman".