Top officers axed over ‘sex attack’

THREE high-ranking police officers have been axed over an alleged sex attack at a chief constable’s leaving party.

Chief Superintendent Mark Warrender, ex-head of Gwent CID, temporary Assistant Chief Constable Marc Budden and Chief Inspector Paul Staniforth were banned after a disciplinary hearing.

Warrender and Budden were suspended for alleged misconduct as part of a probe into the alleged assault on a female officer in 2019. All three have now been found to have breached professional standards of behaviour. Warrender has retired – the other two will be dismissed from Gwent Police.

No criminal charges will be brought.