People across the North East rely on police officers to investigate crimes and keep law and order.
They expect them to lead by example and keep the confidence of the general public. However, in recent months, a number of cops have been sacked or punished for their behaviour.
Some officers from Northumbria Police and Durham Constabulary have lost their jobs due to their inappropriate actions. One officer had sex in a police van while on duty. Another officer was found to have been "motorboating" a woman in a nightclub.
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Two female officers have also been convicted of offences in court. One admitted an offence of assault while the other was sentenced for drink driving and misconduct in a public office.
Here is a round up of the police officers in the region who have found themselves in trouble:
Officer J
The Northumbria Police officer was found guilty of gross misconduct after trying to have sex with a woman without her consent as she slept.
A misconduct hearing heard how the cop, known as Officer J, had a sexual relationship with a vulnerable victim which he met while investigating crimes against her.
He faced three allegations relating to the mum, who he met in 2004 when she reported problems she was having with her neighbours to police.
He was accused of touching the woman, known only as Ms A, without her consent, having a sexual relationship with a vulnerable victim and engaging in sexual activity or inappropriate behaviour while on duty.
After hearing three days of evidence the panel found all allegations against Officer J to be proven and ruled they amounted to gross misconduct.
Olivia Checa-Dover, representing Northumbria Police's professional standards department said Officer J's actions were so serious the only outcome should be that he is dismissed immediately.
Passing judgement, chair of the panel, Adrian Phillips, said: "The panel upholds allegations one, two and three.
"The panel finds that Officer J breached standards of professional behaviour. The panel has looked at the conduct as a whole. The panel views what Officer J did as one course of conduct. The panel has decided Officer J’s conduct amounts to gross misconduct."
Officer J admitted having a relationship with the woman, but argued that it was a consensual affair, which happened when he was off duty. He also said he was unaware the woman was vulnerable.
In evidence the officer, who was married with three children at the time, told how they exchanged phone numbers when he went to check on her after the investigation into the problems she was having with neighbours concluded.
The officer said he felt it was appropriate to be meeting Ms A off-duty as the investigation "was finalised and over and done with" and that their meetings were between "two consenting adults". He said that the first time he met Ms A while off duty, they had sex in her bedroom and denied forcing himself on her.
Ms A said: "I was not in a good place at all. I was trying my best to make ends meet. I had an awful lot of problems with the neighbours. Life was dreadful, absolutely dreadful."
She described how Officer J continued to visit her home after the investigation concluded. She claimed that, on one occasion, she fell asleep while he was at her home and awoke to find him on top of her trying to have sex with her.
She said: "I shouted at him; 'What are you doing', and he just kept saying; "I'm sorry, I'm sorry'." Ms A said Officer J stopped visiting her after that.
The disciplinary panel is yet deliver their judgement on what the outcome should be for Officer J.
Rachael Kimber:
The Northumbria police officer has been dismissed without notice after assaulting a man in Gateshead on April 10 last year. She admitted assault by beating at South Tyneside Magistrates' Court in South Shields on September 8.
District Judge Zoe Passfield handed the constable, from Gateshead, a 12 month conditional discharge and ordered her to pay £85 costs and a £26 surcharge.
Following the conviction, Kimber was accused by the force of breaching the Standards of Professional Behaviour. A misconduct hearing, held at Middle Engine Lane Police Station in Wallsend, North Tyneside, found that her behaviour was Gross Misconduct.
The hearing, which was chaired by Chief Constable Winton Keenen on January 4 this year, heard how the offence took place whilst she was off-duty.
Mr Keenen said: "By engaging in the activity of assault by beating and becoming subject to court proceedings and the associated conviction arising, the officer took a very significant risk with the reputation of the force.
"I wish to make it clear that I do not suggest the officer set-out to deliberately cause harm to the Force, indeed I do not suspect this was a conscious thought by her at the time of engaging in the activity leading to the need for these proceeding. However, the undeniable reality is that this has been the actual and further potential outcome."
Mr Keenen said there is also an "understandable expectation" of the public that police officers will act at all times in ways that do not discredit the public service to which they dedicate their working lives.
He said that with that comes the expectation they will not behave in ways that they would otherwise find themselves taking action towards if they were to encounter such behaviours being demonstrated by others, including colleagues and members of the public.
He said: "This has always been the case and indeed is now perhaps the case more than ever before, as policing finds itself in a period of recognisably increased and elevated levels of expectations from the public; regarding behaviours of serving officers towards setting and achieving the high standards of behaviour to be expected of them by wider society."
When considering aggravating factors, Mr Keenen said: "I find the existence of deliberate violence to be an obvious and compelling aggravating factor in this case."
However he noted that the evidence of wrongdoing is confined to a single episode and the officer "openly and frankly" admitted the behaviour in question during the very earliest stages of enquiries. He said she had continued to adopt a position of openness and honesty throughout the proceedings.
However Mr Keenen said a final written warning was "simply not sufficient" to deal with the seriousness of this case.
He said: "I find there is an on-going risk of very significant reputational harm to the force arising from this matter and that it is not one where a warning, even a final written one, is sufficient to mark the extent of the breaches demonstrated."
Mr Keenen determined that the only appropriate and acceptable outcome by way of sanction was Dismissal Without Notice. The officer will be placed on the Barred List, which is administered by the College of Policing.
Ian Dawson
The Northumbria police officer has been dismissed without notice after having sex while on duty in the back of his work van. He arranged to meet a member of the public, known as Ms A, for sexual purposes while on duty in a police uniform and driving a marked police van.
He collected Ms A from her house in the police vehicle and drove her to a supermarket car park, arriving just after midnight. The officer engaged in sexual activity with Ms A in the back of the van before driving her back to her home address on September 8, 2020.
PC Dawson also formed a potentially inappropriate relationship with another member of staff, known as Ms B, in October 2021. He denied on two occasions that he was in a romantic and/ or sexual relationship with Ms B and deliberately provided a false statement to his supervision.
During a misconduct hearing at Middle Engine Lane on December 20 last year, the officer was accused of two counts of gross misconduct.
The hearing, chaired by Chief Constable Winton Keenen, heard how he was alleged to have breached the Standards of Professional Behaviour on the grounds of discreditable conduct and honestly and integrity. He was found to have committed gross misconduct on both counts.
The Chief Constable chose to dismiss him without notice for the discreditable conduct count. This related to him having sexual activity in the police vehicle while on-duty.
He handed the officer a final written warning for the honesty and integrity count, which related to him deliberately providing a false statement about being in a relationship with another member of staff.
Mr Keenen recorded that PC Dawson also admitted lying to his supervision as to a relationship he was having with a member of staff.
The Chief Constable said there is an "understandable expectation" of the public that police officers will act, at-all-times, in ways that do not discredit the public service to which they dedicate their working lives - and with that comes the expectation they will not engage in sexual activity whilst on duty.
He recorded: "This has always been the case, but now, perhaps more than ever, there is a recognisable increase in the expectations of the public regarding the behaviours of serving officers and particularly so as regards behaviours involving sexual activity."
Mr Keenen said he believed it was a case where PC Dawson has deliberately and undeniably deviated significantly from instructions, orders and expectations.
However he said he had read the testimonies of character provided on the officer's behalf and acknowledged the commentary provided by the officer's representative on his behalf, as regards low-mood.
The Chief Constable told the hearing that the "appropriate" and "only acceptable outcome" was Dismissal Without Notice. The officer will be placed on the barred list.
James Pentland
The Northumbria Police officer was dismissed without notice after "motorboating" a woman while dancing at a nightclub. He was accused by a woman, known as Ms A, of touching the breasts / breast area and rubbing his face into her breast area.
He denied the accusation, claiming he had held up his hands in front of her and moved them in a "jazzing type manner". Following a misconduct hearing, a panel found that the officer did carry out the act, which is commonly known as "motorboating".
They also found he had inappropriately placed the woman's arm up her back, after she slapped him around the face. A report released, following the disciplinary hearing, reveals how the incidents took place at a nightclub in Newcastle on September 15, 2021.
The officer and Ms A had both gone for an evening out with friends. They had met in a bar earlier in the evening and, after drinking at various venues, the two groups met up again in the nightclub.
The hearing heard how PC Pentland had been dancing close to Ms A on the packed dancefloor in the club, which was very busy. However there was a "stark disagreement" between them as to what happened on the dancefloor.
The officer claimed that Ms A had been dancing very close to him and others and was flirting with him and others. He claimed that she had whispered in his ear that she wanted to "f*** him". Ms A said she was dancing with various people including the officer, was not flirting and did not say anything of that nature to him.
The misconduct hearing heard how Ms A took her shirt off and waved it above her head when the song 'Countryroad' was played. She was wearing a black Calvin Klein sports bra.
The officer claimed that someone to his left made a comment about Ms A’s breasts. He said, after the comment was made, he stepped towards Ms A and held up his hands in front of her.
He said he moved them in a jazzing type manner and mimicked touching her breasts. In interview, he said he was trying to be funny in front of the group.
PC Pentland said Ms A then slapped him hard and he took hold of her wrist and placed her arm up her back to stop her slapping him again. He claims she said to him "You need to be careful I like it rough". He said he also had his other arm across her shoulder and nothing else was said between them.
The officer said this was a continuation of her flirtatious behaviour and they continued to dance together. He did not mention anything about the event to anyone else or have any other conversation about it.
Ms A made a number of allegations of unwanted and inappropriate behaviour by the officer during their time on the dancefloor. She claimed he did not cease his behaviour, even when she slapped him around the face.
She claimed the officer did approach her but he grabbed hold of her breasts and put his face between them, an action referred to as 'motorboating'. She said she immediately slapped him hard and did not say anything to him. She claimed he then took hold of her arm behind his back and took hold of her throat.
Ms A also complained that the officer touched her bottom, however she was unsure about the exact sequence of events. The report said: "She accepts that she is unsure of the order of events but is adamant that they occurred particularly the allegation of motorboating."
The main evidence came from Ms A as there were no other witnesses and CCTV did not clearly capture the events.
Following the misconduct hearing, which took place between November 29 and December 1 last year, the panel found that the allegations that the officer had touched Ms A's bottom and her throat were unproven.
They said they had considered all the factors and accepted Ms A's evidence that motorboating occurred.
The report said: "Ms A was generally a credible witness. Motorboating is a very specific act. Ms A has no reason to lie about this specific act occurring. It is unlikely to be something which someone would raise if it had not occurred."
The panel said the officer's action of placing of Ms A's arm up her back was "inappropriate" and he should have taken alternative action rather than physically taking hold of her e.g. stepping away.
They said: "This conduct is clearly a breach of the standards of professional behaviour of discreditable conduct."
The panel took into account both sides when considering whether the actions carried out by PC Pentland were misconduct or gross misconduct.
They said: "Ms A described the officer’s actions as unwarranted, unprofessional, inappropriate and very disrespectful. She felt violated. The officer did not intend to cause her any harm but he could reasonably have foreseen the harm caused to Ms A.
"The officer’s conduct was not malicious and was not sexually motivated. He intended it as a joke. It was not a planned action but was a spontaneous one. He carried out an act for his amusement and that of others at the expense of Ms A."
They said the officer’s conduct will have undermined public confidence in policing. A police officer acting in this manner will have damaged the public's general view of the force.
The report said: "There is currently significant national and local public concern about the attitude of police officers to women. There have been many reported cases about officers' abuse of women. This particular case is different in nature to some of the most high profile cases but it only serves to perpetuate the general public perception about the inappropriate views and actions of police officers."
The panel recognised that the incident was only for a short period of time and was a "spontaneous" and a "one-off" action and the officer was unlikely to act in a similar manner again.
The report said: "Officers should protect women not subject them to any form of abuse. All officers must recognise that they have to maintain the highest standard of behaviour whether on or of duty and in whatever environment they are in. The officer’s conduct was contrary to the training and expectations of Northumbria Police."
The panel said the public would rightly be concerned if an officer acting in this way was allowed to continue working as a police officer. They added: "This kind of conduct is unacceptable behaviour for any serving police officer and is inconsistent with their continuation in service."
The panel decided that the officer's conduct was gross misconduct and the only appropriate outcome was dismissal without notice. The officer’s name will be sent to the College of Policing for inclusion on the police barred list.
Helen Kane
The Northumbria Police officer was found drunk in a police van while on duty.
The 38-year-old was more than three times over the legal drink-drive limit when a dog walker found her asleep behind the wheel of a parked police van.
The marked van, which also contained three police dogs, was seen parked in the middle of a junction on Waggs Lane in Whickham, Gateshead, with its engine still running.
When the member of the public took a look inside on November 3, 2021, Kane could be seen "slumped" against the driver side of the car with a bottle of white wine between her legs.
Robin Turton, prosecuting, said: "After several bangs [on the window] the female police officer's head raised up and she wound down the window and had a brief conversation. The officer said she was alright, but when she was told she was parked in the middle of the road, she said: 'Am I?'.
"Between her legs was a brown wine bottle. When the member of the public was satisfied the driver was OK, she walked off but took a photograph of the police vehicle and phoned 999."
Kane was later breath tested at Southwick Police Station in Sunderland and gave a reading of 117 micrograms of alcohol in 100ml of breath -the legal limit being 35 micrograms.
The officer, of Belmont, County Durham, pleaded guilty to driving while above the legal alcohol limit but denied misconduct in a public office. After less than an hour of deliberation, a jury at Teesside Crown Court found Kane guilty of the charge.
On the last day of her trial at the court in Middlesbrough, Kane gave evidence and told the jury she was going through "personal and professional" difficulties at the time and accepted she had been drunk on duty.
She said her professional troubles stemmed from a protest in Newcastle city centre when a member of the public was bitten by a police dog. Kane said: "My police dog was wrongly identified as that dog. As a result, I was advised by Northumbria Police there was a risk to me."
Kane said that due to other issues in her personal life, she went to see a GP regarding her stress and anxiety and was prescribed anti-depressants. She explained she did not like taking time off work and "used alcohol to cope".
Kane was handed a six week suspended prison sentence. was also ordered to carry out 120 hours of unpaid work and disqualified from driving for two years.
The officer was suspended by Northumbria Police and faces a misconduct hearing.
Callum McLennan
The Northumbria Police officer was dismissed without notice after sending a series of "inappropriate" text messages to a female he considered to be "highly vulnerable". He was sacked following a misconduct hearing at Houghton Police Station, in which the panel concluded that his actions had amounted to Gross Misconduct.
The panel heard how the officer had engaged in a series of "unprofessional and inappropriate" text messages with a female, referred to as Ms A, after responding to a call for concern about her safety. Ms A was deemed to be at "high risk of domestic violence" at the time as her ex-partner had learned that she had entered into a new relationship.
It was alleged that, after responding to the call on February 4, 2021, PC McLennan began sending text messages to Ms A from his work mobile phone, with the intention of developing a relationship with her. It was reported that he believed there to be a "mutual attraction" and his communication continued with Ms A for around three weeks.
During his communication with Ms A, he sent a series of text messages ending with an "x", indicating a kiss. It was also alleged that in text messages sent on February 10, 2021, PC McLennan referred to himself as "lonely". He later sent a text which read "I just want to be loved haha x" and asked Ms A if she had a "single twin sister".
The panel heard that the allegations came to light when Ms A reported PC McLennan's behaviour to police. The officer, who had been with the force since 2017, ended contact with the woman admitted Gross Misconduct.
The hearing heard how the officer had suffered from depression and PTSD and he had been drinking alcohol during that period.
Superintendent Steve Ammari, Head of the Professional Standards Department at Northumbria Police, said: "Callum McLennan abused his privileged position and his actions were completely unacceptable. His behaviour is in no way representative of the officers, staff and volunteers who continually display the highest levels of professionalism.
We have always been clear that we expect these standards to be maintained at all times. If anyone is found to have fallen below these we are committed to taking appropriate action."
Simon Spellman
The former detective constable who harassed a female officer after going to her hotel room to borrow toothpaste.
The "pathetic" and misjudged actions of DC Spellman, who worked in the safeguarding department of Durham Constabulary, led to him being dismissed for gross misconduct.
A misconduct hearing heard how the 36-year-old dad asked to borrow toothpaste from the female, known as Ms F, as part of a rouse to "test the waters" in the hope of engaging in a sexual relationship with her.
DC Spellman, who spoke about cheating on his partner, lay on Ms F's bed after brushing his teeth, took off his shoes and socks and stroked her upper thigh and back. Ms F, who was more than a decade younger than the 6ft 5in officer, was upset and "horrified" by his actions.
The misconduct hearing, which took place at The Old Houghton Magistrates' Court in Houghton-le-Spring, heard how she escaped to the bathroom where she made a panicked phone call to her partner and burst into tears, saying "I don't know what to do".
The hearing heard how Mr Spellman eventually left after Ms F told him he had to go because she received some bad news. Ms F told fellow colleagues what had happened the next morning and DC Spellman, who was confronted by another sergeant, visited her room again to apologise for making her feel uncomfortable.
The hearing heard how the "foolish" 45-minute ordeal took place after an enjoyable night out with a group of police staff and officers who were part of a "wellness weekend" at the Harrogate Police Treatment Centre in Harrogate, North Yorkshire.
The disciplinary panel found that Mr Spellman, who was based in Bishop Auckland, County Durham, went into Ms F's bedroom having already decided she was interested in him. This is despite Ms F giving no signals to suggest she liked him in a "romantic" way, having spoken repeatedly about her partner and their intention to buy a house and start a family.
Although there were some disputing factors, Mr Spellman admitted he had breached the professional standards of authority, respect and courtesy, constituted discreditable conduct but had denied that this amounted to gross misconduct.
Daniel Mansell, on behalf of the officer, said: "[His actions] were incredibly stupid but in terms of the affect they had they were not deliberate or malign. He should have known what affect his actions would have but he genuinely did not at the time."
Simon Mallet, chairman of the panel, said: "Sexual harassment is always a very serious matter. The public and the force would not expect an officer who has committed such an act, even in these circumstances and with his personal mitigation, to remain as a serving officer.
"It's the panel's view that public confidence in policing cannot be maintained by a final written warning in all circumstances in this case. The only appropriate outcomes in this case is dismissal without notice."
Mr Spellman was added to the barred list.
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