Detective 'left work for an hour to have sex with lover' - the third police officer from same station to face lewd behaviour claims in last two weeks
A detective is accused of leaving work for an hour to have sex with his lover - the third policeman from the same station to face lewd behaviour claims in two weeks.
Detective Constable Damian Cotgreave allegedly used his mobile phone to send obscene pictures and smutty messages to up to a dozen different women while on duty.
On another occasion, he is accused of failing to act after a woman he was in touch with threatened to harm herself.
DC Cotgreave, who has already resigned from the force, is set to face a disciplinary hearing later this month.
If charges are proved against him, he could be barred from ever serving as a police officer again.
Detective Constable Damian Cotgreave allegedly used his mobile phone to send obscene pictures and smutty messages to up to a dozen different women while on duty. Pictured: Hastings Police Station
DC Cotgreave is the eighth officer from Sussex Police to stand accused of sexual behaviour while on duty in the last two years.
He is also the third from Hastings Police Station alone in the last fortnight.
A spokesman for Sussex Police said: 'Former officer, DC Damian Cotgreave, faces 21 allegations whereby it is alleged that he engaged in conversations via social media with 12 female members of the public using his personal mobile telephone, whilst on duty, over a period of several months from December 2019 to February 2020.
'Some of these conversations included inappropriate content, such as sexual images or exhibits, or were sexual in nature.
'On one occasion, the officer is alleged to have attended the address of one female for in excess of one hour whilst on duty, for a non-policing purpose, and engaged in sexualised behaviour.
'On another occasion, he is alleged to have failed to act when the female he was corresponding with made threats to self-harm.
Last week, Sergeant Rob Adams was found guilty of gross misconduct after putting the face of a female colleague on a pornographic image of a naked woman
PC Paul Elrick also kept his job after a final written warning when he was found guilty of gross misconduct for pinging a ruler across the bottom of a female colleague
'One of the allegations involves off-duty conduct.'
Last week, Sergeant Rob Adams was found guilty of gross misconduct after putting the face of a female colleague on a pornographic image of a naked woman.
He also bombarded colleagues with explicit pornographic material and lewd comments on a WhatsApp group.
The married officer, who conducted an inappropriate sexual relationship with a junior colleague, was allowed to keep his job after being handed a final written warning.
The week before, PC Paul Elrick also kept his job after a final written warning when he was found guilty of gross misconduct for pinging a ruler across the bottom of a female colleague.
Detective Sergeant Paul Elrick, 48, told the junior officer she was 'sexy' and looked and smelt 'gorgeous.'
She offered to make him a cup of tea but as she walked past his desk he pinged her across the buttocks with a ruler.
Gross misconduct charges were proven for the 'schoolboy' behaviour but a disciplinary panel in Lewes ruled that he could keep his job after handing him a final written warning.