Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC - formerly IPCC)
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Essex inspector sacked for sexually touching junior colleague and sending inappropriate emails

A former Essex Police inspector would have been dismissed without notice had he still been serving, after gross misconduct was found proven at a hearing carried out by the force.

Following an investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), Jonathan McLeod, 38, who was based at Basildon and resigned in February 2020, faced allegations that he abused his position for sexual purpose.

It was alleged he was sexually inappropriate to junior female colleagues and sexually touched one on three occasions.

The hearing, which started on Monday 6 December and concluded on Wednesday 8 December, heard he behaved inappropriately towards a number of colleagues by sending them inappropriate emails and making comments of a sexual nature.

The independent police disciplinary panel found the case proven that Mr McLeod had breached the police professional standards of behaviour relating to honesty and integrity; orders and instructions; authority, respect and courtesy; duties and responsibilities; and discreditable conduct.

He did not attend the hearing or offer a defence.

Regional director Graham Beesley said: “The abuse of police powers for purposes of sexual exploitation is a form of serious corruption. It has a devastating impact on victims, and a serious impact on the public’s confidence in individual officers and the service in general.

"The officers involved included some who were lower ranking and one of them told our investigators she felt she could not report his behaviour because of his seniority and fear that she would not be believed.

“This culture of behaviour, where colleagues cannot go about their work without fear, has no place in policing.”

We received a referral from Essex Police in December 2018 and completed our investigation the following December.

During the investigation, our investigators interviewed Mr McLeod, analysed recorded communications from the email system and WhatsApp messages, and obtained statements from several witnesses, including some of the individuals he had been contacting.

Channel website: https://policeconduct.gov.uk/

Original article link: https://policeconduct.gov.uk/news/essex-inspector-sacked-sexually-touching-junior-colleague-and-sending-inappropriate-emails

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