Ex-PC's gross misconduct after sexual assaults

A former police officer who sexually assaulted two women at a party has been found to have committed gross misconduct.

PC Gareth Middleton, from Rushden, Northamptonshire, was given a three-year community order at Leicester Crown Court in December after he was convicted of two offences of sexual assault which happened in 2021.

Northamptonshire Police said the 32-year-old resigned the day before a disciplinary hearing on 4 March, stating if he had not already left the force he would have been sacked.

Chief Constable Ivan Balhatchet, who chaired the meeting, said the Kettering-based officer's conduct was "utterly appalling and reprehensible" and praised the victims for coming forward.

Middleton was also given a five-year Sexual Risk Order (SRO) and ordered to pay a £95 victim surcharge, £2,000 costs and to carry out 250 hours of unpaid work.

The force said four years ago he went to a house party and sat next to a woman on the sofa and touched her in a sexual manner.

During its investigation a second woman came forward and told officers Middleton had approached her while she was dancing and touched her inappropriately.

The force said the assault was captured on video by her boyfriend and showed Middleton lifting her up with one of his hands on her right breast, after she told him to "do one".

Middleton did not attend the misconduct hearing, held at the force's headquarters and was represented by a "police friend".

He informed the hearing that Middleton "did not accept the conduct because he did not accept that he was guilty of the offences".

He resigned on 3 March.

The hearing found he breached the standards of professional behaviour relating to discreditable conduct and "found the matter proved as gross misconduct".

It concluded it did not see "any remorse on the part of the officer".

Chief Constable Balhatchet said: "Violence against women and girls perpetrated by a police officer, whether on duty or off duty, will always have a high degree of culpability, with the likely outcome being severe.

"This conduct is utterly appalling and reprehensible and there can be no place in the police service for men that behave in this way.

"They should always face the full extent of the law. I also thank the victims in this case for coming forward and reporting these abhorrent crimes."

He placed Middleton on the barred list and said he has the right to appeal within 10 working day of receiving the decision.

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