Officer 'tipped off' about sex offence inquiry

A woman has complained to police after an officer she made sexual offence allegations against was "tipped off" before she had given a formal statement.

The woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, made allegations of rape, drink spiking, deliberately passing on a sexual infection, coercive and controlling behaviour and harassment in 2023.

She told the BBC the officer she accused had been informed about her complaint within a few hours by another West Yorkshire Police officer.

The force said it had received a complaint which was being investigated by the Professional Standards Directorate.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said it had carefully reviewed all of the material passed on by police but concluded there was not enough evidence to charge the suspect with any offence.

The woman said she felt the investigation was flawed, adding: "I was told that because he'd been tipped off, they'd made the decision not to arrest him on Monday or seize any of his electronics because there was no element of surprise.

"It just didn't make any sense to me that they wouldn't take his electronics, but, ironically, throughout the process I was repeatedly asked to hand mine in or provide information off them."

In an email seen by the BBC, West Yorkshire Police said the CPS needed to see accounts, notes or statements from the woman's support workers and counsellor.

The correspondence also asks her to provide details of all previous sexual partners because "they will need to be spoken to" and asks her to consent to a full phone data download.

The woman has also criticised the language used during the investigation.

"I have been asked if I am a woman scorned, I have been asked what I'm normally like in bed," she said.

"I have pushed back about the appropriateness of how things have been dealt with and I've felt the whole way through like I've constantly had to defend myself."

West Yorkshire Police said a file of available evidence had been submitted to the CPS, which reviewed it and advised no charges would be brought.

In a statement, the CPS said: "We understand the importance of focusing investigations on the suspect, not the complainant, and not seeking material from complainants inappropriately."

"Any material requested from the complainant was to help support her account of what had happened," a spokesperson added.

The Victim Support charity has called for changes to the way allegations against officers are handled and said independence was "crucial" to investigations.

Michaela-Clare Addison, its national sexual violence lead, said: "At the very least, a different police force should be investigating because it really makes that person feel they have been listened to and it's going to be investigated properly."

The Survive charity, which supports victims of sexual violence, said officers must be mindful of the language used and investigations should not be focused on the complainant.

"Very few survivors of sexual offences report to the police," said chief executive officer Mags Godderidge.

"With those that do, it's not uncommon for them to say they found the experience retraumatising."

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