Sussex Police officers dismissed over handling of domestic abuse case
- Published
Two Sussex Police officers were dismissed without notice following a misconduct hearing
Two Sussex Police officers have been dismissed over their handling of a domestic abuse allegation.
An investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) found PC Russell Felgate failed to investigate the claim.
PC X - who cannot be identified due to a direction made by the disciplinary panel - attempted to interfere with the inquiry, the panel found.
"This kind of police corruption erodes trust and confidence," the IOPC said.
A third officer, PC Alice Price, received a written warning for misconduct for failing to investigate the alleged assault.
'Abused trust'
The officers' misconduct related to an allegation made in August 2019, an IOPC spokesman said.
A woman reported she had been assaulted by her employer in Chichester, West Sussex.
PC Felgate and PC Price attended and saw PC X was already there.
PC X was off-duty at the time but was a personal friend of the suspect, and also knew the complainant.
PCs Felgate and Price spoke with the suspect and complainant but no action was taken.
Later, the woman contacted Sussex Police again, saying she had been under duress from PC X not to provide a statement or pursue the allegation.
Sussex Police headquarters in Lewes
FoIlowing the gross misconduct hearing, IOPC regional director Graham Beesley said: "PC X was in a position of trust and abused that to exert improper influence over the complainant and attempted to interfere with the investigation.
"This kind of police corruption erodes trust and confidence in the police and anyone who behaves in such a way can have no place in policing."
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) decided not to bring any criminal charges against PC X following her arrest, or the suspect.
Det Supt Rachel Carr, of Sussex Police, said: "We expect our officers to respond and act in accordance with the force's values, the code of ethics and the standards of professional behaviour.
"Their actions fell short of that and they let a victim of crime down. This will not be tolerated."
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