Big rise in police officers reported for abusing their role for sexual purposes

Published

4 years ago

October 25, 2021

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The number of police officers being reported for abusing their role for sexual gain has soared in the past year following changes to strengthen how the issue is investigated.

Two thirds of the cases investigated by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) between 2018 and 2021 happened in the past year.

The IOPC’s Deputy Director General Claire Bassett says it’s proof that allegations of sexual abuse are taken “very seriously”.

“Those figures have gone up because it has become a mandatory referral, so people have to report it to us now,” she said.

“But we would hope it also reflects an increased awareness where we are seeing fellow officers, for example, reporting people who they believe might be doing that.”

From 2018 to 2021, 66 officers and members of police staff faced disciplinary proceedings for alleged “abuse of position for a sexual purpose” or APSP.

Of those, 42 occurred in the past year.

In 63 of the 66 cases, misconduct was proven with six people convicted of crimes, three of whom were jailed.

The increase in individuals being investigated comes at a time when trust in police has been seriously eroded.

Wayne Couzens pretended to be on duty when he kidnapped 33-year-old Sarah Everard, before raping and then murdering her earlier this year.

He is now serving a whole life sentence after admitting his crimes.

Other cases of alleged serious sexual offences by officers are currently going through the court system.

But despite the increase in cases being investigated, Jessica [not her real name], who had no idea she was in a year-long relationship with an undercover officer back in the 90s, is unconvinced.

“If they break the law, then surely there should be absolutely zero tolerance policy,” she said.

“Far too many police officers that have done something wrong – it’s sort of swept under the carpet. There’s the sort of the policy of ‘the old boys club’.”

She added that too many officers leave the police rather than take the consequences of their actions.

“There needs to be proper accountability to actually stop officers resigning rather than facing misconduct hearings,” she said.

Of the 63 cases, in which misconduct was proved, 29 individuals were dismissed and 10 resigned prior to their hearing.

Anna Birley from the campaign group Reclaim These Streets, which organised a vigil on Clapham Common following Sarah’s murder, believes more needs to be done to identify those who pose a risk.

“If we are only measuring incidences of harassment and violence, we’re missing all of the warning signs and essentially this report from the IOPC talks about sexual offences, where an officer abuses their power, but that’s the worst case scenario,” she said.

“Before that point that officer has probably done things which make women uncomfortable. Wayne Couzen’s nickname was ‘the rapist’.”

Ms Bassett said the IOPC is already challenging “very inappropriate content on social media and network groups”.

“We see sexist or misogynistic language, homophobic jokes that sort of thing,” she said.

“We have seen some officers reporting fellow officers and we’d like to see much more of that.

“We’d like to see a zero tolerance of this sort of behaviour and we think if we root out that and change the culture, that will have an impact across the board.”

Alleged cases of APSP currently make up nearly 60% of investigations by the IOPC.

But the data does not provide a complete picture of all action being taken as forces can also carry out their own inquiries.

UK

Palace confirms dates of Trump’s state visit – as King and Queen to host him at Windsor Castle

Published

9 hours ago

July 14, 2025

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Palace confirms dates of Trump's state visit - as King and Queen to host him at Windsor Castle

The dates for Donald Trump’s state visit to the UK have been announced, with the US president due to be welcomed by the King from 17 to 19 September.

Buckingham Palace also confirmed that President Trump and first lady Melania will be hosted by the King and Queen at Windsor Castle.

It was expected that the three-day state visit would take place in September after Mr Trump let slip earlier in April that he believed that was when his second “fest” was being planned for.

Windsor was also anticipated to be the location after the US president told reporters in the Oval Office that the letter from the King said Windsor would be the setting. Refurbishment works at Buckingham Palace also meant that Windsor was used last week for French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit.

This will be Mr Trump’s second state visit to the UK, an unprecedented gesture towards an American leader, having previously been invited to Buckingham Palace in 2019.

He has also been to Windsor Castle before, in 2018, but despite the considerable military pageantry of the day, and some confusion around inspecting the guard, it was simply for tea with Queen Elizabeth II.

Further details of what will happen during the three-day visit in September will be announced in due course.

On Friday, Sky News revealed it is now unlikely that the US president will address parliament, usually an honour given to visiting heads of state as part of their visit. Some MPs had raised significant concerns about him being given the privilege.

But the House of Commons will not be sitting at the time of Mr Trump’s visit as it will rise for party conference season on the 16 September, meaning the president will not be able to speak in parliament as President Macron did during his state visit this week. However, the House of Lords will be sitting.

In February this year, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer presented the US president with the letter from the King inviting him to visit during a meeting at the White House.

After reading it, Mr Trump said it was a “great, great honour”, adding “and that says at Windsor – that’s really something”.

In the letter, the King suggested they might meet at Balmoral or Dumfries House in Scotland first before the much grander state visit. However, it is understood that, although all options were explored, complexities in both the King and Mr Trump’s diaries meant it wasn’t possible.

This week, it emerged that Police Scotland are planning for a summer visit from the US president, which is likely to see him visit one or both of his golf clubs in Aberdeenshire and Ayrshire, and require substantial policing resources and probably units to be called in from elsewhere in the UK.

Precedent for second-term US presidents, who have already made a state visit, is usually tea or lunch with the monarch at Windsor Castle, as was the case for George W Bush and Barack Obama.

UK

Fireball at Southend Airport after small plane crashes

Published

17 hours ago

July 13, 2025

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Fireball at Southend Airport after small plane crashes

A small plane has crashed at Southend Airport in Essex.

Essex Police said it was at the scene of a “serious incident”.

Images posted online showed huge flames and a large cloud of black smoke, with one witness saying they saw a “fireball”.

A police statement said: “We were alerted shortly before 4pm to reports of a collision involving one 12-metre plane.

“We are working with all emergency services at the scene now and that work will be ongoing for several hours.

“We would please ask the public to avoid this area where possible while this work continues.”

It has been reported that the plane involved in the incident is a Beech B200 Super King Air.

According to flight-tracking service Flightradar, it took off at 3.48pm and was bound for Lelystad, a city in the Netherlands.

One man, who was at Southend Airport with his family around the time of the incident, said the aircraft “crashed headfirst into the ground”.

John Johnson said: “About three or four seconds after taking off, it started to bank heavily to its left, and then within a few seconds of that happening, it more or less inverted and crashed.

“There was a big fireball. Obviously, everybody was in shock in terms of witnessing it. All the kids saw it and the families saw it.”

Mr Johnson added that he phoned 999 to report the crash.

Southend Airport said the incident involved “a general aviation aircraft”.

Four flights scheduled to take off from Southend this afternoon were cancelled, according to its website.

Flightradar data shows two planes that had been due to land at Southend were diverted to nearby airports London Gatwick and London Stansted.

Essex County Fire and Rescue Service said four crews, along with off-road vehicles, have attended the scene.

Four ambulances and four hazardous area response team vehicles are also at the airport, as well as an air ambulance, the East of England Ambulance Service said.

Its statement described the incident as “still developing”.

David Burton-Sampson, the MP for Southend West and Leigh, posted on social media: “I am aware of an incident at Southend Airport. Please keep away and allow the emergency services to do their work.

“My thoughts are with everyone involved.”

Local councillor Matt Dent said on X: “At present all I know is that a small plane has crashed at the airport. My thoughts are with all those involved, and with the emergency services currently responding to the incident.”

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UK

Heidi Alexander says ‘fairness’ will be government’s ‘guiding principle’ when it comes to taxes at next budget

Published

23 hours ago

July 13, 2025

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Heidi Alexander says 'fairness' will be government's 'guiding principle' when it comes to taxes at next budget

Another hint that tax rises are coming in this autumn’s budget has been given by a senior minister.

Speaking to Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander was asked if Sir Keir Starmer and the rest of the cabinet had discussed hiking taxes in the wake of the government’s failed welfare reforms, which were shot down by their own MPs.

Trevor Phillips asked specifically if tax rises were discussed among the cabinet last week – including on an away day on Friday.

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Tax increases were not discussed “directly”, Ms Alexander said, but ministers were “cognisant” of the challenges facing them.

Asked what this means, Ms Alexander added: “I think your viewers would be surprised if we didn’t recognise that at the budget, the chancellor will need to look at the OBR forecast that is given to her and will make decisions in line with the fiscal rules that she has set out.

“We made a commitment in our manifesto not to be putting up taxes on people on modest incomes, working people. We have stuck to that.”

Ms Alexander said she wouldn’t comment directly on taxes and the budget at this point, adding: “So, the chancellor will set her budget. I’m not going to sit in a TV studio today and speculate on what the contents of that budget might be.

“When it comes to taxation, fairness is going to be our guiding principle.”

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Afterwards, shadow home secretary Chris Philp told Phillips: “That sounds to me like a barely disguised reference to tax rises coming in the autumn.”

He then went on to repeat the Conservative attack lines that Labour are “crashing the economy”.

Mr Philp then attacked the prime minister as “weak” for being unable to get his welfare reforms through the Commons.

Discussions about potential tax rises have come to the fore after the government had to gut its welfare reforms.

Sir Keir had wanted to change Personal Independence Payments (PIP), but a large Labour rebellion forced him to axe the changes.

With the savings from these proposed changes – around £5bn – already worked into the government’s sums, they will now need to find the money somewhere else.

The general belief is that this will take the form of tax rises, rather than spending cuts, with more money needed for military spending commitments, as well as other areas of priority for the government, such as the NHS.