SOUTH YORKSHIRE POLICE OFFICER RESIGNS AFTER ASSAULTING WOMAN DURING SEX
An ex-police officer from South Yorkshire was found guilty of gross misconduct due to assaulting and injuring a woman during an intimate encounter, a professional hearing determined.PC Rowan Horrocks, aged 27, was cleared of raping the woman at Leeds Crown Court earlier this month.
He asserted that all sexual acts were consensual.
However, during the misconduct investigation, it was highlighted that the injuries sustained by the woman amounted to actual bodily harm (ABH), which under the law cannot be consensual.
The criminal trial revealed that the woman was repeatedly bitten and had a portion of her hair pulled out at Mr Horrocks' residence in November 2021.
Mr Horrocks claimed that the bruising on her chest, neck, and breasts was caused by him applying 'love bites,' denying that he bit her forcefully or repeatedly.
South Yorkshire Police stated that Mr Horrocks tendered his resignation on Monday.
Following the rapid misconduct hearing on Tuesday, Chief Constable Lauren Poultney said: 'This ruling establishes a standard within South Yorkshire Police and reflects our resolve to address misconduct by officers.
While Horrocks was found not guilty of rape—an aspect that remains uncontested—the degree of injury inflicted was classified as ABH.
I did not find evidence of consent, nor did I believe Horrocks reasonably thought consent was given.
Consequently, I concluded his conduct on that night was gross misconduct, and while I would have dismissed him, he had already resigned,' she explained.
