British Transport Police offciers (stock photo)
(Picture: PA Archive)A former London police officer who gave an unsolicited gift of a penis-shaped pen in a sex toy box to a colleague committed gross misconduct, a hearing has found.
PC Ian Pinnell, formerly of the British Transport Police, gave the unsolicited gift to a unsuspecting colleague in May 2021, which she unwrapped in front of family. In March 2020, he also stroked a colleague’s thigh which was “unsolicited and inappropriate.”
A misconduct hearing, held after PC Pinnell resigned in May this year, also heard that the ex-officer would “would incessantly introduce innuendos or topics of a sexual nature into conversations with colleagues”.
It heard: “He would repeatedly talk about his sex life and ask other colleagues about theirs.”
The panel, held Tuesday, found the allegations proven and said he would have been dismissed for gross misconduct without notice.
“Tackling inappropriate sexual behaviour is BTP’s number one priority,” said Detective Chief Inspector Tracy Goddard-King, of the force’s professional standards department.
“In the same way passengers should be able to travel without fear of sexual harassment, our colleagues should be able to come to work without being subject to a torrent of disgusting sexualised behaviour.
“We are absolutely determined to stamp it out within our own workforce.
“Ian Pinnell chose to resign and not attend this hearing, but if we are to restore public confidence in policing it is absolutely vital we still hold these proceedings and report on the details openly and transparently. I wholeheartedly agree with the decision of the panel to dismiss him in his absence.”
PC Pinnell did not attend the hearing, which was held at the force’s headquarters in Camden.
