‘Predator’ police constable sacked for comments to victims
A “PREDATOR” police constable has been dismissed for “appalling” gross misconduct after being found guilty of “trying it on” with four vulnerable domestic abuse victims.
Married father-of-two Pc Colin Noble, who had been a serving officer with West Midlands Police for 20 years, claimed he only called one woman “fit” in a “ham-fisted” attempt at “boosting her confidence”.
But he also looked at her breasts, asking to “see what you are working with”, suggested she “unbutton” her shirt, and inquired if she “had any nudes”. Unknown to the experienced officer, he was secretly recorded by that complainant, known as Miss X, because of her concerns about his behaviour.
Audio of those conversations was played during a six-day hearing at the force’s headquarters, which also heard evidence from the other complainants where he was alleged to have made a “catalogue of completely inappropriate comments” between 2014 and 2017.
A three-member panel found the case against the 50-year-old proven, stating they “preferred the account” of Miss X, and three other complainants,
Miss A, B and C, over that of Noble.
Nick Hawkins, the legally qualified chairman giving the tribunal’s findings, said that, by contrast, they found the evidence given by Noble to be at times “inconsistent”, and in some cases “attempting to fit his explanations to known facts”.
Mr Hawkins added that the tribunal found “significant evidence of Pc Noble using sexualised talk and making inappropriate suggestions” to Miss X.
“The panel considered the improbability of the chances the four female witnesses, who had never met each other, nor seen each other’s statements, or knew of each other’s allegations, making such strikingly similar allegations,” he said.
Mr Hawkins said: “The panel concluded the most likely explanation is they are telling the truth and the events happened as alleged.”
Graham Henson, Noble’s barrister, told the panel his client had a “long, unblemished record”; however, the tribunal decided the constable’s breaches of professional standards were so serious he should be dismissed without notice. Noble has a right of appeal.