Thames Valley Police officer sacked over domestic abuse

Alex Dearden was dismissed without notice at a Thames Valley Police misconduct hearing

A police constable has been sacked following a misconduct hearing which heard he had subjected his wife to domestic abuse.

Alex Dearden, from Thames Valley Police's Bicester roads policing unit, was dismissed without notice.

The panel found the abuse carried out between 2011 and 2015 breached the Standards of Professional Behaviour for Discreditable Conduct.

Det Ch Insp Matt Stone described his actions as "unacceptable".

At the hearing on Wednesday, Mr Dearden was also found to have breached confidentiality rules by using a police database for a non-policing purpose.

Det Ch Insp Stone added: "As an organisation with responsibility to challenge domestic abuse, we recognise the seriousness and make considerable efforts to ensure offenders are brought to justice.

"It is deeply disappointing when our officers not only fail to challenge and deal with domestic abuse but actively undertake it."

A police spokeswoman said Mr Dearden was acquitted of common assault in June 2015 at Basingstoke Magistrates Court, but added that the panel had decided on the balance of probability its standards had been breached.