Northumbria police officer Robert Dobson 'willing to take anti-sexism training'

The misconduct hearing is being held at Houghton-le-Spring police station

A police officer accused of gross misconduct has said he would be willing to undertake anti-sexism training if it was made available.

PC Robert Dobson, of Northumbria Police, is alleged to have sent a "high volume" of messages to a woman, some asking for nude photos.

When she refused to send the images, he is said to have called her "frigid" .

He also allegedly sent another woman messages and accessed her police records, and those of a third woman.

At a misconduct hearing at Houghton-le-Spring police station, PC Dobson, who denies the claims, was asked by his barrister, Felix Keating, whether he had undertaken any work training relating to misogyny, or the equal treatment of men and women, since sending the messages at the centre of the misconduct claims.

The officer replied he had spoken to a chief inspector responsible for training packages, and another colleague, to ask whether the force had any materials he could use, but was told it did not.

When asked by his barrister whether he would take part in such training if it was made available, he replied "absolutely".

The panel heard he had done his own research and viewed videos produced by the Welsh Football Association, which featured the country's national women's team reacting to abusive messages they had received.

'State of arousal'

PC Dobson is accused of sending messages to women employed by Northumberland County Council, whom he met through work.

Known as Miss A, Miss B and Miss C, they cannot be named for legal reasons.

PC Dobson had consensual sex with Miss B, the hearing was told, but when she learned he was also speaking to Miss A she said she felt "stupid". She said, subsequently, she was careful about what she wore to work in case she encountered him.

Miss A said it was a "running joke" among council and police staff that PC Dobson would contact, or attempt to contact, any woman he met through his job as a neighbourhood PC in Blyth.

It is alleged he sent a photograph of himself to Miss A "in a state of arousal" and sent 52 memes - a third of which were "disrespectful to women or misogynistic" in nature.

PC Dobson denies sending an image of himself sexually aroused.

Mr Keating told the panel that in PC Dobson's view the memes were not misogynistic. They included references to condoms and another about how men needed to "stay safe" because it was "about to get ugly out there" during the coronavirus pandemic when beauty salons were closed.

The hearing heard how, as part of his police role, PC Dobson worked closely with council staff and often travelled to jobs with them "one-on-one" in police vehicles.

PC Dobson said he accessed the police files of Miss B and Miss C for safeguarding reasons.

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

The panel has retired to consider the allegations and a decision is expected on Friday.