Wiltshire Police officer sacked for inappropriately touching colleague

Google Wiltshire Police HQ DevizesGoogle
PC Adam Reed was dismissed from Wiltshire Police without notice

A police officer has been sacked after inappropriately touching a male colleague.

Adam Reed, who was serving with Wiltshire Police, unzipped a male colleague's trousers, put his hand inside and made a humiliating comment.

He will no longer be able to work in policing after his actions were found to amount to gross misconduct.

Deputy chief constable, Paul Mills, said Mr Reed's actions "violated the dignity of his colleague".

Mr Reed faced a misconduct hearing, chaired by an independent Legally Qualified Chair (LQC), which considered the allegation against him and dismissed him without notice on Friday.

'Significant distress'

Mr Mills said: "The actions of former Police Constable Adam Reed were not only wholly inappropriate, they violated the dignity of his colleague and would have caused him significant distress.

"His actions amounted to unwanted sexual conduct and the LQC's decision to dismiss Adam Reed from Wiltshire Police is completely endorsed by the Force.

"There is no place in Wiltshire Police for anyone who conducts themselves in this way and, further to becoming aware of this incident, the officer was immediately suspended from the organisation."

The hearing heard that the incident took place on 15 November last year at Devizes Police station.

The panel found that Mr Reed's actions were likely to undermine public confidence in, and the reputation of, the police service.

Presentational grey line

Follow BBC West on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to: [email protected]