Norfolk trainee police officer sacked for non-consensual sex

PC Matthew Roberts had “taken advantage” of the woman he met at a house party when she was vulnerable due to being under the influence of ecstasy, a misconduct hearing found.

The student officer had known she “did not consent and was not able to do so” after she told him she had been the victim of spiking.   

The student officer was told the woman was under fluence of drugs after her drink was spiked (Image: PA)

“The officer was aware of the situation and proceeded to have sex despite believing that she was under the influence of a substance and was unsure as to whether or not she could properly consent,” said the misconduct panel’s report.

READ MORE: ‘We take misconduct seriously’ - Norfolk chief constable

PC Roberts was just three weeks into his police officer training and had not yet been deployed on the streets when the incident happened in July 2023.

He has been dismissed from the force after the disciplinary panel concluded his actions amounted to gross misconduct.

The incident came to light after PC Roberts disclosed text messages to staff at the police training school in Hethersett.

The incident came to light when PC Roberts notified supervisors at Norfolk police training centre in Hethersett (Image: Newsquest)

Norfolk police said he would not face criminal proceedings as there was not enough evidence to support a prosecution and the woman did not support one.

It comes at a time of heightened scrutiny of police misconduct following a number of high profile misconduct cases locally and nationally.

These include a Norfolk officer sacked for turning a blind eye to her partner’s drug dealing and another who sent explicit pictures and sexual comments to female colleagues over a period of 12 years.

PC's 'VAGUE' ACCOUNT

Chief constable Paul Sanford, who chaired PC Roberts' misconduct hearing, said the student officer’s account of events had been “vague and unconvincing”.

His claims the woman had initiated sex and consented had been contradicted by a series of text messages exchanged between the pair in the days following the incident.

Norfolk chief constable Paul Sanford who chaired the misconduct panel (Image: Jason Bye)

The woman had told him in one message that she had been “literally on drugs and half asleep” at the time.

She added: “If I wanted it as well, I would’ve been more involved or done more.” 

In his messages the student officer told her: “I f****d up on my morals. I’m sorry I let you down."  

In another he stated: “I just kept telling myself throughout the night not to sleep with you cos you had taken something.”

Mr Sanford said: “I expect the highest standards of behaviour, honesty and conduct from all those employed in the constabulary. 

“When these standards are not met, we will take appropriate action, as we have in this case and the student has rightly been dismissed.”

He added: “It is important to highlight that misconduct proceedings are based upon the balance of probabilities, which is a far lower burden of proof compared to our criminal justice system which works towards a burden of proof beyond reasonable doubt. 

“Consequently, while an individual may not face court action, they can still face questions of gross misconduct, as the student did in this case.”