Police in apology to officers abused by colleague
APOLICE force has apologised to two women whose reports of domestic abuse at the hands of an officer were ignored.
Gwent Police issued a statement yesterday saying it is “extremely sorry” for failing to properly investigate allegations of abuse made by both women, and claiming to have now “taken the actions needed to get this right in future”.
The women, known as Jodie and Sarah, were serving officers when the abuse by the now former Pc Clarke Joslyn happened and said they were left feeling “worthless” and “broken” by the “negligence of Gwent Police and its boys’ club culture”.
Joslyn had been involved in training the women and is said to have used his seniority to have groomed them into having a relationship with him. Both were then subjected to domestic abuse and eventually reported him.
However, their allegations were not taken seriously and they were instead targeted by Joslyn’s colleagues.
It later emerged that several other women had been victimised by Joslyn over a period of years while he remained a serving officer with access to young female trainees.
Misconduct proceedings were finally brought against him in 2018.
But Joslyn left the force shortly before a panel found his actions amounted to gross misconduct.
The two women made a civil claim against Gwent Police as part of a national police super-complaint on police-perpetrated abuse being brought by the Centre for Women’s Justice. The case has led to more than 155 women coming forward who allege to have suffered similar experiences.
Jodie said: “It took all of my strength and courage for me to report these crimes back in 2012. When I wasn’t taken seriously, my confidence and trust were shattered beyond repair. I was left not only feeling worthless, but also that my integrity was being questioned.
“My aim all the way through this was to bring a domestic violence perpetrator to justice and prevent anybody else going through what I did. Sadly this was not the case due to the negligence of Gwent Police and its boys’ club culture.”
Sarah said she “lost everything” after she reported Joslyn.
“My reputation, my health, and ultimately my career in the police,” she said. “I entered Gwent Police a bubbly young woman who was excited about her job and her future. When I left just five years later I was completely broken. I have even lost my confidence in the police as a public service.”
Gwent Police Deputy Chief Constable Amanda Blakeman in a statement said: “I met the two women involved in this case to hear their experiences first hand and to apologise to them on behalf of Gwent Police. I am extremely sorry that at a time when they felt most in need of our support that we let them down.
“Since I took up my role with the force nearly two years ago, I have worked hard with the chief constable and other senior leaders to make a difference to the culture of Gwent Police, not only on this issue but on all discriminatory practices. This work will continue to ensure Gwent Police is a safe and professional workplace for everyone.
“We have listened, reflected and taken the actions needed to get this right in future. This is to make sure that if anyone within the force, or a member of the public, raises any concerns about the conduct of officers or staff that they can be confident of being heard and having the issues they raise investigated thoroughly. In the current climate this is critical to maintaining confidence in our services.
“We take any allegations of this nature very seriously and they will be thoroughly investigated, and action taken. We will also work with individuals raising concerns to make sure they have the support they want and need.”