Gwent Police: Two officers sacked for gross misconduct

Mark Warrender (left), Marc Budden (middle) and Paul Staniforth had an inappropriate conversation with a junior officer

Two senior police officers have been dismissed for gross misconduct following an incident at a social event.

A panel found the actions of Ch Supt Mark Budden and Ch Insp Paul Staniforth, along with a third officer amounted to gross misconduct.

The third officer, Chief Supt Warrender retired from Gwent Police on Friday.

He would have been dismissed too had he still been a serving officer, Gwent Police said.

He had been accused of inappropriately touching a junior officer at a retirement party in 2019.

• Officers' misconduct probe to be held in private

• No criminal charges for two suspended officers

• Gwent Police officer 'sexual assault' files sent to CPS

Gwent Police Deputy Chief Constable Amanda Blakeman said the force would not tolerate unprofessional behaviour.

"Over the last three years...we've done a huge amount of work to make sure that anybody who works for us, alongside us, with us or receives our services feels confident in the service that they're getting," she said.

"We've worked really hard to make sure it's a safe, inclusive, happy environment for people to work and that the public can have the confidence in us to report matters to us."

All three officers were found to have had an inappropriate conversation with the officer in question.

In a statement, Gwent Police said the panel also found:

• All three officers had failed to challenge and report the improper behaviour of the others engaging in the conversation

• Former Chief Superintendent Warrender was found to have touched the officer inappropriately

• Chief Superintendent Marc Budden failed to disclose a conflict of interest in relation to the inappropriate touching incident

• Chief Superintendent Marc Budden inappropriately disclosed information in relation to the misconduct and criminal investigation into the inappropriate touching

• Chief Superintendent Marc Budden was found to have provided a dishonest account about his conduct

• Chief Superintendent Marc Budden was also found to have engaged in inappropriate behaviour whilst on duty

Ch Supt Mark Budden and Ch Insp Paul Staniforth were dismissed without notice.

Earlier this year, senior Welsh politicians criticised the force's decision to hold the misconduct proceedings in private.

They said it was important the public had confidence in the police following Sarah Everard's murder by a serving police officer and problems with misogyny, discrimination, bullying and harassment in the Metropolitan Police.

Dept Ch Constable Blakeman said the hearing was held in private having considered the impact on the victim.

"All of our misconduct hearings are chaired independently by a legally qualified chair... and it's that person's individual decision as to whether or not a hearing is held in public or in private," she said.