Married police inspector denies raping woman in hotel

A police inspector allegedly raped a woman in a hotel room, a misconduct hearing was told.

Insp Clive Summerill of Avon & Somerset Police is alleged to have had sex with the female who was so drunk she cannot remember it and was not in a position to give consent, the panel heard.

The officer, who is currently suspended from duty, denies the allegations.

He said in a police interview they had a "drunken fumble" but did not have sex.

Insp Summerill, who is based in South Gloucestershire, admitted the encounter was "more than a kiss and a cuddle" but said the woman initiated the kissing.

He told investigators he had a "moment of clarity" and asked if she wanted him to stop and she said yes, so he left.

But the woman, known as Person A, who cannot be named for legal reasons, told police that when she woke up a short time later she was naked and knew she had had sex but did not know who with as she had no memory of it.

A criminal investigation was launched by an independent police force but no further action was taken, the panel heard.

Barrister Sarah Clarke KC, representing Avon & Somerset Constabulary, said Insp Summerill told the woman the next day they had "sealed the deal".

Ms Clarke told day one of the misconduct hearing at force headquarters in Portishead this could only refer to sex.

The married inspector denies rape, sexual assault and having sex with a person who was vulnerable due to intoxication.

He admits a fourth allegation of identifying the alleged victim to others, which the panel heard he regretted, but denies misconduct.

Ms Clarke said the alleged breaches of the standards of professional behaviour for police officers amounted to gross misconduct.

She said the pair, who knew each other but were not in a relationship, went to the pub where Person A drank about a bottle of wine on an empty stomach and was "very drunk" to the point of falling off a stool.

They went on to a restaurant where they had more drinks before returning to a hotel, Ms Clarke said.

The barrister said the woman went to her room to get changed but did not return, so Insp Summerill rang to ask where she was and she gave him the wrong room number.

But she said the officer found which room she was in, which he said was because she gave him the correct number and asked him to come up - a claim the constabulary disputes.

Ms Clarke said Person A had no intention of having sex with anyone that night.

She said Insp Summerill told the woman the next day that she had kissed him passionately in the restaurant although she had no recollection of this.

But Ms Clarke said Person A had texted someone earlier to say the inspector was "weird" and had a "strange personality" and was not attracted to him.

"She has no memory between the knock on the door and waking up naked," the barrister said.

Ms Clarke said Insp Summerill admitted telling the woman: "We sealed the deal last night," although he insisted this was a joke and did not refer to sex, but the barrister said it did.

The hearing continues on Tuesday.

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