Police officer convicted of stalking would have been sacked

A misconduct hearing was told the Leicestershire Police officer would have been dismissed if she was still serving

A former Leicestershire Police officer convicted of stalking a colleague would have been dismissed if she was still serving, a misconduct hearing has said.

Laura Cotton, who has resigned from her role, sent "unwanted and unreasonably persistent" messages to an officer she had been in a relationship with.

The hearing was told she was convicted of stalking at Northampton Magistrates' Court in November.

Her behaviour was found to have breached professional standards.

A misconduct panel heard on Friday that between 10 September and 7 October 2020, Ms Cotton was found to have sent 43 emails to the officer, which were unwanted and unreasonably persistent.

She also asked another serving officer to look at her former partner's social media posts, take screenshots and send them to her, as she had been blocked herself.

'Serious matter'

David Stokes, representing Ms Cotton - who was not present at the hearing - said: "She has admitted misconduct and gross misconduct in her resignation letter.

"She resigned because she embarrassed herself and embarrassed the force."

Chief Constable Simon Cole said: "Given all the evidence we have, there is only one outcome that was the officer still serving, they would have been dismissed.

"It is a serious matter of gross misconduct which has led to criminal conviction.

"It has clearly had an impact on the other officer involved."

He added that Ms Cotton should be added to the "barred list".