Ex-Avon and Somerset Police officer Lee Cocking facing hearing over sex in car

The misconduct hearing is being held at Avon And Somerset Police headquarters in Portishead

A former police officer is facing a misconduct hearing after being accused of having sex with a vulnerable woman while on duty.

Avon and Somerset Police is pursuing a case against Lee Cocking, who was cleared of misconduct in a public office following a trial in May 2021.

Mr Cocking was a police officer for 20 years before retiring on grounds of ill health in July.

The hearing began on Thursday and could run for up to two weeks.

Barrister Mark Ley-Morgan, representing the force, said in his opening statement to the misconduct hearing on Thursday that the officer offered the woman a lift home while on duty after she was thrown out of Skinny Dippers nightclub in Weston-super-Mare in the early hours of Christmas Eve, 2017.

The panel heard the woman had fallen off a stool and had "swung punches at people" before being ejected.

In a police interview a few weeks later, Mr Cocking said: "I didn't consider her to be drunk," the panel was told.

Mr Ley-Morgan said: "Why is an acting inspector, who was effectively overseeing the officers dealing with the night-time economy, taking home a female who is not particularly drunk?

"As far as I know, Avon & Somerset Police does not run a taxi service."

He told the hearing that the officer had insisted in his statement that he was trying to be polite in trying to stop her advances in his unmarked constabulary Vauxhall Astra, saying, "No, I can't, I'm working, I'll get in trouble. Just give me your number, I'll call you tomorrow".

'She jumped on me'

The barrister told the panel: "There is no dispute sexual activity took place.

"Mr Cocking says 'She literally jumped on me' in the driver's seat.

"This is an experienced police officer. One would have thought he would have no difficulty whatsoever fending her off.

"There is no evidence she has any kind of superhuman strength."

Officer 'was the victim'

Mr Cocking denies the force's allegations and said that he was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder brought on by earlier incidents experienced as an officer.

He said he was not able to to resist the woman's advances and that he had been the victim of a sexual assault.

Mr Cocking is also accused of giving untruthful answers to a custody sergeant when he was arrested shortly after the incident.

The hearing continues.