Northumbria Police officer dismissed over misogynistic messages

PC Robert Dobson was dismissed following a hearing at Houghton-le-Spring police station

A police officer who sent misogynistic and disrespectful messages to women has been dismissed with immediate effect.

Northumbria Police officer PC Robert Dobson took "predatory steps for sexual gratification" against three women, a misconduct panel heard.

When one of the women refused to send him a naked photograph, PC Dobson called her "frigid".

The panel said he had "let himself and colleagues down" and added there was "no place for misogyny" in the force.

The misconduct hearing at Houghton-le-Spring police station found four accusations of misconduct proven against PC Dobson.

He was cleared of a fifth allegation that he accessed a woman's police records without a good reason.

'Vulnerable state'

PC Dobson was a neighbourhood police officer based out of Blyth and, in that role, worked closely with Northumberland County Council.

He met three women, known as Miss A, Miss B and Miss C, there. They cannot be named for legal reasons.

PC Dobson had consensual sex with Miss B but the panel heard she was in a "vulnerable" state at the time of their relationship.

When Miss B learned he was also messaging her colleague she felt "stupid" and would dress differently at work in case she encountered him.

He was found to have accessed her police record shortly before their relationship became sexual and did so "not for a proper policing purpose".

Shortly after meeting Miss A, he added her on Facebook and they began a flirtatious friendship.

When he asked for a naked photograph and she refused he called her "frigid".

Premeditated acts

The panel heard from Ian Mullarkey, barrister for the force, about how the public's perception of the police with regard to violence and abuse against women and girls was an aggravating factor in this case.

Mr Mullarkey added that PC Dobson, who had denied the allegations throughout the proceedings, had displayed a degree of premeditation and planning.

The barrister said PC Dobson took "predatory steps for sexual gratification" that were regular and repeated over a sustained period.

In mitigation, PC Dobson's barrister Felix Keating told the hearing that his client had made errors judgement in the pursuit of personal relationships, rather than deliberately setting out to cause "hurt or upset".

He also described the 43-year-old as someone who was a "product of his age" and had not moved as quickly with the times as "we would hope".

Nick Hawkins, panel chair, concluded the three-day hearing by dismissing PC Dobson with immediate effect in order to protect public confidence in the police.

Mr Hawkins said PC Dobson had "let himself and colleagues down" over a three-year period, adding there was "no place for misogyny" in the police force.