Derbyshire police officer sacked after sex act in patrol car

A police officer who had sexual contact with a drunk woman in a patrol car has been sacked and placed on the barred list.

PC Matthew Longmate was dismissed "without notice" following a Derbyshire Police misconduct hearing on 4 January.

He was found guilty of misconduct in public office following a four-day trial at Southwark Crown Court on 8 November, 2023.

Longmate, 47, will be sentenced for the offence on Monday.

During the trial, the jury heard that he was on duty with PC Daniel Nash in Derbyshire on 4 October 2015 when they were called to an incident at The Association bar in Chesterfield and offered to take the woman home.

The jury also heard they parked and Nash had sex with the woman while she performed a sex act on Longmate.

In October 2022 Nash admitted 13 charges of misconduct in a public office relating to sexual conduct with a number of women over several years.

He died of cancer in September 2023.

Longmate, who had more than 20 years of policing experience, has been suspended from duty since November 2021, when the police force made a referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Derbyshire Police agreed that Longmate had a case to answer for gross misconduct for potentially breaching police standards of professional behaviour.

An accelerated misconduct hearing, chaired by Lincolnshire Police Chief Constable Chris Haward, was held on 4 January.

Mr Haward found Longmate's actions amounted to "gross misconduct".

His written verdict statement said: "A final written warning would not appropriately reflect the seriousness of PC Longmate's misconduct.

"To give PC Longmate a final written warning would significantly undermine public trust in the police and high standards in policing.

"It would not protect the public from future misconduct by PC Longmate.

"The only appropriate outcome therefore is dismissal without notice. This will protect the public from future misconduct by PC Longmate and act as a deterrent to other officers who might similarly misconduct themselves."

Derbyshire Police Deputy Chief Constable Simon Blatchly said Longmate had committed "a truly horrendous crime" and that he had "no place in policing".

He said: "Every Derbyshire police officer takes an oath to protect the people of this county.

"But instead of protecting them, Longmate used his position for his own sexual gain and has been found guilty of one of the most serious crimes that can be brought against a public servant."

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