Former police officer guilty of coercive behaviour quit before force could sack him, disciplinary panel concludes

18 October 2022, 18:46 | Updated: 18 October 2022, 18:48

A former police officer who “ruined” his victim's life using coercive and controlling behaviour – but was subsequently handed a suspended jail term, quit before he could be sacked, a police disciplinary panel has said.

PC George Georgiou, 44, served with Cambridgeshire Constabulary before being found guilty of the offence in November 2019.

The panel found on Tuesday that Georgiou had committed gross misconduct, despite being off duty when the offences were committed.

Georgiou, who was based in Thorpe Wood, Peterborough, was handed an 18 month prison sentence, suspended for two years, after St Albans Crown Court heard he had bullied the victim and “dragged her down month after month”.

The officer had been on restricted duties throughout the course of this investigation, but resigned before Cambridgeshire Constabulary could take action.

At the time of sentencing, the court heard how the officer used his position of power “to bully her”.

Handing down the sentence, Judge Richard Foster said: “The most serious offence was threatening to hit her and telling her that if she reported it no one would believe her as you were a police officer.

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“It was a drip, drip of offences. You dragged her down month after month. It was persistent action over a prolonged period. You caused her to fear violence on at least two occasions.

Adding: “You ruined a good part of her life”

The subsequent police disciplinary hearing concluded that he would have been dismissed had he still been with the force.

Chief Constable Nick Dean, who chaired the hearing at Cambridgeshire police headquarters in Huntingdon, said: "It cannot be lost on anyone within policing that there is, rightly, significantly greater scrutiny of any conduct deemed to amount to violence against women and girls.

"Any abuse perpetrated by those serving within the police is wholly unacceptable and clear expectations must be set within policing to mitigate any detriment to public confidence.

"It is unacceptable for police officers, who are responsible for enforcing the law, to break the law themselves.

"Every officer, whether on or off duty, has to take personal responsibility for their actions."