'Predatory' officer harassed and groped colleagues

A "predatory" police officer, who harassed five female colleagues and groped one of them at a wedding, would have been sacked had he not resigned, a panel has found.

Rickie Wallbank left Cumbria Police in July 2024, before he could face any of the allegations.

A misconduct panel heard how former PC Wallbank's pattern of behaviour, involving unwanted sexualised and flirty messages, was uncovered when the group of female officers went for a weekend away in Patterdale, in the Lake District.

Mr Wallbank did not attend the hearing and was unrepresented. Cumbria Police Federation chairman Edward Russell said: "If [Mr Wallbank] was here today he would say he was stupid – words he used to me."

The hearing, held at the police federation building in Penrith on Tuesday, was told Mr Wallbank, 37, had admitted sending the inappropriate messages between 2016 and 2023, but had denied it amounted to harassment.

The officer, who had been based at the Barrow station, also "vehemently denied" grabbing the buttock of an officer – referred to as DC A at the hearing - by putting his hand under her dress at a wedding back in 2016.

The panel found the allegations proven and that they amounted to gross misconduct.

Barrister Barney Branston, acting on behalf of the chief constable, said the fact the messages had been sent when Mr Wallbank had been drinking was not a defence and the public would be "horrified" by his actions.

It "was idiotic and puerile behaviour" towards people he had a professional relationship with, Mr Branston said.

He added the targeted officers said they did not make much of his behaviour and it was "just Rickie being Rickie", but after the weekend in Patterdale, the pattern emerged.

Mr Branston said one of the officers present worked for the anti-corruption unit and she told her colleagues his conduct was unacceptable.

The panel heard although Mr Wallbank had denied "any touching at all", there was a "smoking gun" in social media messages exchanged with DC A.

Mr Branston said messages to DC A showed him talking about her breasts and asking if her partner would be at the wedding.

He added it would be "fanciful" to read anything that would "give way to any kind of green light" in her replies to his messages.

After the events at the wedding, messages showed DC A asked Mr Wallbank if he remembered what had happened when they were standing together.

He said he did and when she asked "was it wrong?", he replied "yes" and proceeded to tell her she had a "nice bottom".

Mr Branston said she did not reply. "She's furious, she doesn't want to speak to him," he said.

"There's no room for inadvertence, this is a deliberate, concerted pattern of predatory behaviour."

He added this was a "classic example" of a male officer behaving poorly.

Announcing the panel's decision, Assistant Chief Constable Michael Bird said: "When considering the messages he sent prior to the event, it shows premeditation and intent and from the messages post-event, it seems clear to us he knew he did something wrong."

He added Mr Wallbank's behaviour had been "premeditated, extensive and predatory".

Mr Russell said Mr Wallbank had not intended on causing any reputational damage to the force, however he did expect to be dismissed.

"He understands the severity of this, which shows he understands what he's done and appreciates what's happened."

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