POLICE OFFICER DISMISSED AFTER INAPPROPRIATE CONDUCT WITH TEEN
In October 2017, police officer PC Declan Gabriel, age 28, was involved in a misconduct case where he unzipped his trousers and placed his hands in his underwear while alone with a 17-year-old girl.The incident occurred after he picked her up following a domestic dispute and involved inappropriate actions such as parking in a layby near Northampton Crematorium, where he then engaged in inappropriate conduct.
The disciplinary hearing concluded that Gabriel had 'grossly breached the trust placed in him' as a police officer, and he was dismissed for gross misconduct.
Despite this, he was acquitted of the criminal charge of raping the teenager in February 2018, with the jury failing to reach a verdict on a fourth misconduct charge.
During the hearing, the evidence revealed that Gabriel had asked the girl about personal details, and he became aroused during the conversation, which he described as an 'unconscious reaction.' His supervisor had advised him to take alternative actions, such as accompanying the girl to her grandmother's house, but Gabriel ignored this advice and instead tried to take her to a friend’s house.
The incident involved inappropriate physical behavior, which the police solicitor described as 'wholly inappropriate,' and Gabriel was found evasive and contradictory when questioned during the disciplinary process.
