Two police officers have been sacked without prior notice after they were both found guilty of performing acts of sexual misconduct towards two of their female colleagues on a night out in Derby. Special Chief Inspector Andy Whitworth was alleged to have pinched a female Special Constable's bottom while former Special Sergeant Gary Sims was alleged to have slapped another's.
Both men were serving with the British Transport Police (BTP) when the offence took place at an off duty social gathering in the city on the evening of October 16 and into the early hours of October 17 2021. The BTP shared no further details on the exact location of the incident, the Derby Telegraph reports.
Following their offensive actions, both men qualified for a misconduct trial at BTP Headquarters in Camden which lasted from September 5 to September 8. After the allegations, amounting to gross misconduct, were found proven, both were dismissed without notice.
The force said: "They were both called to answer allegations relating to breaches of the standards of professional behaviour namely authority, respect and courtesy and discreditable conduct.
"The panel concluded that the allegations were proven and amounted to gross misconduct. SCI Andy Whitworth was dismissed without notice. SPS Sims resigned from the force following the incident. Had he still been serving, he would have been dismissed without notice."
Following the conclusion of the hearing, Detective Superintendent Pete Fulton, head of BTP’s Professional Standards Department, said: “These were two senior officers who abused their positions and subjected two junior colleagues to unwarranted sexualised behaviour on a night out.
“Police officers are expected uphold the law and behave with the utmost integrity whether they are on or off duty, which both Andy Whitworth and Gary Sims failed to do. They do not reflect the values of BTP and I wholeheartedly agree with the decision of the panel to dismiss them both.”
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