A Cumbria Police misconduct hearing held on Tuesday in Penrith has returned a finding of gross misconduct and found that a former police constable would have been dismissed if he were still serving.
The hearing was held at The Police Federation Building in Carleton, into the conduct of former police constable, Rickie Wallbank, chaired by Cumbria Constabulary Assistant Chief Constable Mick Bird, with regards breaches of the Standards of Professional Behaviour with respect to Discreditable Conduct and Authority, Respect and Courtesy.
These breaches related to Wallbank sending unwanted messages via social media, including messages that were sexualised and inappropriate.
In addition, there was an allegation that in September 2016, Wallbank had, whilst at a colleague’s wedding put his hand under a female's dress and grabbed her buttock when she did not consent.
The conduct was found to breach the Standards of Professional Behaviour, amounting to gross misconduct.
Assistant Chief Constable Bird said: “The former officer’s behaviour, including touching a woman without her consent and sending sexualised and inappropriate messages was unacceptable and amounted to discreditable conduct.
“Such actions - which not only reflect extremely poorly on the individual but also on policing as a whole - are not a reflection of the way the overwhelming majority of our officers conduct themselves, and I can assure the public that Cumbria Constabulary will not hesitate to take action against such behaviour and ensure such individuals are removed from their position and can never again be a police officer.”
The result of the hearing will mean the officer is placed on the national Barred List, preventing them from becoming a police officer elsewhere in the country.
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