South Yorkshire Police: Former officer guilty of gross misconduct over sex injuries

PC Rowan Horrocks' actions amounted to gross misconduct, a panel led by South Yorkshire's Chief Constable concluded

A former South Yorkshire police officer committed gross misconduct by assaulting and injuring a woman during sex, a professional hearing concluded.

PC Rowan Horrocks, 27, was acquitted of raping the woman by a jury at Leeds Crown Court earlier this month.

He told jurors that all sexual activity between the two was consensual.

However, the misconduct hearing was told the level of injury amounted to actual bodily harm (ABH), which, in law, cannot be consented to.

During the criminal trial in which Mr Horrocks was cleared, the prosecution said the woman had been bitten repeatedly and a clump of her hair had been pulled out at his home in November 2021.

Mr Horrocks said the bruising to the woman's chest, neck and breasts was caused by him giving her "love bites" but denied that he "bit her very hard, repeatedly".

South Yorkshire Police said Mr Horrocks resigned from the force on Monday.

Following Tuesday's accelerated misconduct hearing, Chief Constable Lauren Poultney said: "This case sets a precedent within South Yorkshire Police and demonstrates how we will explore all available avenues to deal with people who do not deserve to call themselves a police officer.

"While Horrocks was acquitted of rape - and this is not in question - the level of injury suffered by the complainant was such that it amounted to ABH.

"Furthermore, I found no consent was given and Horrocks did not reasonably believe the complainant consented.

"I have therefore determined his actions that night amounted to gross misconduct and I would have dismissed him had he not already resigned," she said.

"There is no place for such a person in my force," she added.