
The public has been kept in the dark about almost one in four of the police officers dismissed from the service for gross misconduct across England and Wales, due to loopholes in transparency regulations.
An exclusive New Statesman investigation, in collaboration with the Brighton Argus, into the records of officers dismissed for serious offences has revealed 212 individuals, ranging from police community support officers (PCSOs) to chief inspectors, who were struck off without either their names or misconduct being made public. This is despite regulations introduced in 2017 stating that barred officers should be placed on a public list by the College of Policing, except in instances that would cause serious harm. The regulations say that “where a person recorded in the police barred list is a police officer or former police officer… the College must publish the entry relating to that person”.
- Alexander Maloney, of West Yorkshire Police, who was barred after being arrested for possession and distribution of indecent images of children, including owning devices containing 53 static images of child abuse. The force did not publish details of this case due to ongoing proceedings, but did not make the matter public after they had concluded either. According to Leeds Crown Court, he was sentenced in November 2018.
- Andrew Tideswell, of Nottinghamshire Police, was already on a final warning after calling a murder victim a “paedo gay boy” and a victim of grooming “a bit of a slut”, when he was caught breaking Covid-19 restrictions by booking a hotel for a Tinder hook-up. Nottinghamshire Police did not respond to any of the New Statesman’s requests for comment.
- Jonathan Lau, of Leicestershire Police, who was barred after he attempted to photograph women in a closed changing cubicle at Hinckley Leisure Centre through a gap at the cubicle base. Leicestershire Police refused to comment directly on this case, but said if it has not issued a name publicly then the hearing will have been held in private following a decision made in line with the Police Conduct Regulations.
- David Ollerenshaw, of South Yorkshire Police, who became involved in an intimate relationship with a suspect, attempted to interfere with a criminal investigation involving that suspect, and also failed to diligently conduct a separate investigation. The force claims to have temporarily advertised his misconduct hearing, but did not confirm that this advert included his name and the case details.