Northumbria Police officer Robert Dobson 'called woman frigid'

Northumbria PC Robert Dobson allegedly accessed police records of two women

A police officer committed gross misconduct by sending misogynistic and sexual messages to women, a disciplinary hearing has heard.

Northumbria PC Robert Dobson allegedly sent a "high volume" of messages to a woman, some asking for nude photos, and called her "frigid" when she refused.

He also allegedly sent another woman messages and accessed her and a third woman's police records, a disciplinary panel was told.

PC Dobson denies the allegations.

The hearing at Houghton-le-Spring police station was told all three women, who cannot be named for legal reasons, worked for Northumberland County Council.

One of the women, known as Miss A, told the court how he sent her images of him topless and one picture of him in his boxers where he appeared to be "aroused".

Miss A said after she met PC Dobson through work, they became friends on Facebook and would communicate via Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp and Snapchat during the pandemic.

She described how PC Dobson would send her memes which she found offensive to women, including images suggesting women were ugly due to beauty salons being closed and ones referencing condoms.

'Annoyed'

The council worker said she felt a number of his messages were "misogynistic and just not very pleasant towards women".

When asked if it affected her view of him as a police officer, she said "it was a concern" because at the time there was media coverage around Wayne Couzens, the Metropolitan Police officer who murdered Sarah Everard in March 2021.

She added that she "felt, as a police officer, he [PC Dobson] should have a bit more thought about what he was sending".

Barrister Ian Mullarky asked her how it made her feel and Miss A said "irritated, annoyed that there's a pandemic going on and that's the type of things he's sending - that women are going to be ugly".

PC Dobson, who worked in the neighbourhood policing team in Blyth, is also alleged to have communicated with another woman, known as Miss B.

He is alleged to have met her on one occasion where they had consensual sex.

The hearing heard PC Dobson accessed the police record of Miss B in 2019, and another woman, known as Miss C in 2021, without having a policing purpose to do so.

He is alleged to have breached the standards of professional behaviour in relation to authority, respect and courtesy and confidentiality.

A panel, chaired by barrister Nick Hawkins, will decide if the allegations are proven and if they amount to gross misconduct.

The hearing continues.