Former PC admits sex assault and misconduct

A former police officer who admitted inappropriately trying to befriend two women has pleaded guilty to two counts of misconduct in a public office and one count of sexual assault.

Patrick Banks, 42, who previously worked as a detective constable in Leeds for West Yorkshire Police, appeared at Sheffield Crown Court earlier.

He exchanged inappropriate message exchanges with the women and asked one of them to translate a message that said, "I want to take your underwear off with my teeth", the court heard.

The offences happened while Banks was both on and off duty, according to West Yorkshire Police.

The judge heard that Banks tried to befriend both women and attended their homes - in one case it was while he was off duty and in the other case, three out of four times he went to the woman's home off duty.

The court heard that Banks "wilfully engaged in inappropriate messaging" over five months in 2024 and 2025 with the first woman, and met up with her.

He is also accused of lying about being a rabbi to gain her trust, but the court heard he denied this.

The court was told he engaged in inappropriate messages outside professional communication with the second woman over a month last year, bought gifts for her child and attended her address as a police officer.

He invited her to translate messages from French to English which said, "I want to take your underwear off with my teeth", the court heard.

The count of sexual assault involved touching one of the women, the court was told.

Judge Jeremy Richardson KC, the Recorder of Sheffield, said: "It is always a very serious matter for a police officer to misconduct himself.

"The sentence in such cases, I'm sure you appreciate, is invariably an immediate custodial sentence which always falls hard on an individual who has, at least in part, been responsible for upholding the law.

"The only issue really to be decided is how long that sentence needs to be."

Banks denied one charge of stealing a mobile phone.

Judge Richardson said that charge would lie on file.

Banks will be sentenced on 1April and was released on bail until then.

West Yorkshire Police said he had been suspended in May 2025 after he had been charged and had since left the force.

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