A former Staffordshire Police officer who committed "lecherous and predatory" sexual assaults on three colleagues has avoided immediate imprisonment. Alex Trusler, 36, received a 42-week jail sentence on Tuesday, suspended for 18 months, and was ordered to register as a sex offender for 10 years.
Details of the offences
Northampton Crown Court heard that Trusler, a former prison service employee from Burntwood who was based in Cannock, admitted to four counts of sexual assault. He kissed and groped a woman in workplace environments and sexually assaulted two women while intoxicated at a social gathering. The court was told he chuckled after smacking a woman on the bottom and told another victim "this will be our little secret".
Trusler, who quit Staffordshire Police after admitting the offences in July this year, had obtained fresh employment and enjoyed "hope in a loving and supportive family" despite being forced to relocate due to publicity surrounding his crimes, the court heard.
Judge's remarks
Judge Rebecca Crane said: "At the time of these offences you were a serving police officer, having joined Staffordshire Police in January 2020." She added: "This lecherous and predatory behaviour had an impact on your victims. Given you were a serving police officer, there is a wider impact as your behaviour undermines public confidence in the police."
The judge noted that Trusler's actions had cost him a career in public service, which involved responding to numerous distressing incidents. She also highlighted a "degree of minimisation" in a pre-sentence report, telling him: "Any suggestion that there was a culture of flirtatious banter is not mitigation – and your behaviour went far beyond that."
Sentencing and reaction
Trusler, who claimed to have no memory of the offences at the social gathering, showed no evident emotion as he was ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid community work and pay £600 compensation to each victim. Chris Pembridge, prosecuting, read personal statements from two of the women, one of whom said she had "never been made to feel so uncomfortable".
Defence barrister Mark Karpinski said Trusler had studied forensic investigation at university, worked with offenders in the prison sector, and served as a community support officer. "These convictions leave his police career and his life in ruins," he told the court. Trusler has been added to the College of Policing barred list.
Staffordshire Police confirmed Trusler resigned on September 1, and a gross misconduct hearing concluded he would have been sacked had he not stepped down. Deputy Chief Constable Caroline Marsh said: "As soon as these allegations were reported, he was suspended from duty, and a thorough investigation was launched by our Anti-Corruption Unit. His guilty pleas reflect the seriousness of his offending. There is no place in policing for individuals who abuse their position or engage in this kind of behaviour. I would like to thank the victims for the courage they have shown throughout this investigation."
