‘No misconduct’ by ex-officer in sex claims case

A former Avon and Somerset Police officer accused of having sex with a drunken woman in his car while on duty has been cleared of misconduct.

A panel ruled that ex-sgt Lee Cocking, inset, did not breach standards of professional behaviour for police officers in relation to honesty and integrity and discreditable conduct.

In a statement after the decision on Friday at the end of a two-week police misconduct hearing at force headquarters in Portishead, Deputy Chief Constable Nikki Watson said she was disap- pointed but respected the ruling.

Mr Cocking, 41, claimed he was the victim of a sexual assault by the woman whom he had offered to take home in his unmarked police car after she was thrown out of Skinny Dippers nightclub in Weston-super-mare in the early hours of Christmas Eve, 2017.

The married father of two, who was acting inspector in charge of policing the town that night, had told the hearing he felt “numb” and had “complete panic” as the woman jumped across from the front passenger seat, straddled him and attempted to have sex.

But the panel, led by Legally Qualified Chair Anna Vigars, never got to hear from her as she declined to take part in the proceedings.

Ms Watson said: “We fully respect the chair’s authority but are disappointed that having carefully weighed up all the evidence they have ruled the allegations around dishonesty and discreditable conduct were not proven.

“We have consistently believed the actions of the former officer on December 24, 2017, fell short of those standards and were not what the public would expect from their police service.”

Ms Vigars did not announce the panel’s reasons for its decision, although they are expected to be published soon. She said: “We don’t find misconduct insofar as Mr Cocking is concerned.”

The former officer, who grew up in Bristol and now lives in Cheddar, retired from the force in July on medical grounds, having been diagnosed with anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder following a fatal road accident he attended in 2015 in which a young girl died.

He was acquitted by a jury of a criminal charge of misconduct in a public office following an 11-day trial at Gloucester Crown Court last year over the 2017 incident in his car with the woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons.

During the police hearing, the panel was told the woman had never claimed she had been sexually assaulted by the former officer and that the sex was consensual.