A senior manager within Gwent Police is facing a gross misconduct hearing following allegations of sexual misconduct with a female colleague. The behavior was detailed in sexually explicit messages sent over several months, despite the woman telling him she was in a relationship and asking him to stop. The first complaint was made in August 2022, but the manager was not suspended until May 2023 after a second complaint was made. A former Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) director has questioned how the initial complaint was handled, and the force is currently under scrutiny over several complaints concerning officers’ conduct.
The first complainant was “shocked” to see the manager lead a training session on staff conduct following the murder of Sarah Everard, prompting her to come forward with her own complaint. The woman suffered an anxiety attack as a result, telling Chief Constable Pam Kelly that the talk “smacked of double standards”. Her complaint was initially assessed as gross misconduct, but a subsequent investigation led to it being formally assessed as misconduct. When a second colleague came forward, the initial complaint was reassessed as gross misconduct and the manager was suspended on full pay.
BBC Wales has reported that a third complaint of sexual misconduct has been made against the manager, adding to concerns about the culture within Gwent Police. A former IOPC director said that the force is not being transparent about the process and expressed his concern about the length of time the investigation is taking. He added that keeping complainants and victims informed is key, especially when dealing with such serious allegations.
Gwent police have confirmed that a member of police staff is being investigated by its professional standards department and that it could not comment further at this stage. The IOPC previously received a referral in 2023 but decided there was no requirement for it to independently investigate and “the matter was passed back to Gwent Police”. The investigation is ongoing, but the length of time it is taking and the lack of transparency is reportedly causing concern both within and outside the force
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