Drunk PC groped women in Canterbury nightclub

The former police officer groped women in The Cuban nightclub in Canterbury, a hearing was told

A rookie police officer groped women on a drunken night out with colleagues, a misconduct hearing has been told.

Former Kent PC Barney Heaton slapped women's bottoms and went to grab another's crotch in a Canterbury nightclub, the panel heard.

But despite several police witnesses, there will be no criminal prosecution as no victims have been identified.

The misconduct panel said it would have sacked Mr Heaton if he had not resigned first.

The hearing in Maidstone was told that the 26-year-old had been in the force only four months when he groped the women while drunk on an evening out with fellow student officers last November.

Ex-colleagues described his behaviour in The Cuban as "increasingly concerning" as he became "increasingly intoxicated", force barrister, Edward Pleeth said

One confronted him, saying his behaviour was "unacceptable".

'Bad feeling'

Some officers also apologised to one of the women, who appeared "visibly distressed" and had pushed him away, the disciplinary panel was told.

Mr Heaton was still on probation when the misconduct proceedings were brought.

But he resigned before the hearing could go ahead, having denied the incident during a police interview, blaming "bad feeling" between colleagues.

He did not attend the misconduct hearing.

Panel chairman William Hansen said the evidence was overwhelming and that his behaviour had fallen "well below" expected standards, amounting to discreditable and gross misconduct.

"He lost all self-control and treated members of the public disgracefully," he said.

A Kent Police spokesman said after the case the force had carried out "a full and thorough investigation", which included talking to witnesses.

But he added: "As no victims could be identified, there was insufficient evidence to proceed with a criminal investigation."