Police forces hired detective despite abuse allegations

South Yorkshire Police admitted it had failed to properly vet

A detective rose through the ranks of three police forces despite multiple abuse allegations, a misconduct panel has heard.

Det Ch Insp Daniel Boulter was hired by South Yorkshire and Lincolnshire forces despite a criminal inquiry by previous employer Northamptonshire Police.

He quit policing this week after admitting coercive control of two ex-partners and having lied to bosses.

All three forces have admitted mistakes were made.

Det Ch Insp Boulter was due to face a disciplinary panel in Sheffield this week over seven gross misconduct allegations but resigned on the eve of the hearing and admitted all charges.

South Yorkshire Police (SYP), where the detective had led investigations into serious sexual offences, said on Wednesday he had "controlled the lives of two women through manipulation and degrading acts" and would have been sacked if he had not quit.

'Catalogue of lies'

The force suspended Det Ch Insp Boulter in December 2021 and launched a professional standards inquiry after Crimestoppers received an anonymous tip-off about his past.

Investigators "unravelled a catalogue of lies" on which the detective's career was founded, the force said.

The misconduct panel heard the detective failed to disclose having been the subject of two criminal investigations and had also concealed a gambling addiction and a long-term friendship with a known career criminal.

Det Ch Insp Boulter was investigated over allegations of voyeurism while a serving Northamptonshire Police officer and, after moving to Lincolnshire Police in 2014, faced another criminal probe into claims of coercive control. Neither investigation led to criminal charges and neither force brought misconduct proceedings against him.

He joined SYP in 2019 as a detective inspector of rape and serious sexual offences and was later promoted to detective inspector for Rotherham.

The panel heard Det Ch Insp Boulter had not disclosed the criminal investigations as required on vetting forms when he was recruited by South Yorkshire or Lincolnshire Police and the information was not shared between forces.

Lincolnshire Police investigated the detective over coercive control allegations

Det Supt Delphine Waring, head of professional standards at SYP, said the detective had "circumvented the system with dishonesty and lies" as "he knew the truth would have ruled him out" of working for the force.

She added: "However, we must also recognise this demonstrated errors in our vetting process in 2019. Our vetting procedures must be able to withstand the challenges of those who seek to undermine them."

Det Supt Waring said Det Ch Insp Boulter "behaved in a deplorable manner towards women carrying out acts which were intentional, premeditated and repeated".

She added the force had carried out "a complete overhaul" of its vetting procedures since the allegations came to light and was "confident that a transferee with this background would not be able to enter the force today".

Lincolnshire Police said it was "clear that the actions of Daniel Boulter fell well below the standards expected of a police officer" and admitted "there were a number of areas where we could have and should have dealt with things better".

Supt Deborah Clark, head of professional standards, said the force had improved its handling of domestic abuse allegations against officers, as well as its vetting of recruits and information-sharing.

She added: "I'm confident that should we experience anything of this nature again, we would react very differently to how we did five years ago."

Northamptonshire Police said its inquiries should have had "a very different outcome"

Northamptonshire Police, which the panel heard had failed to act on allegations of coercive control when Det Ch Insp Boulter served on the force, said it had conducted an independent review "to examine in detail how our own inquiries into the officer were carried out at the time".

"Regrettably, we have concluded that had the allegations been looked at today, some 12 years on, there would have been a very different outcome," said Det Supt Natalee Starbuck, the force's head of professional standards.

Det Ch Insp Boulter admitted two allegations of using controlling and coercive behaviour between 2015 and 2018 and five of providing false declarations on vetting forms.

SYP said each of the seven charges would have led to the detective's immediate dismissal if he had not already resigned.

He will be barred from policing anywhere in the UK but will retain his pension as he was not convicted of a criminal offence.