A police sergeant who appeared on Channel 5's Police Interceptors has been found guilty of gross misconduct after engaging in "risky" public sex with a probationary officer. Ben Sutcliffe, a temporary sergeant with Cleveland Police, was found to have had sex while stood down from his dog handler duties.
Gross misconduct finding
Sutcliffe resigned from the force in February and did not attend the disciplinary hearing on Wednesday, October 21, in Stockton, Teesside, chaired by Chief Constable Victoria Fuller. After hearing the evidence, CC Fuller concluded his behaviour amounted to gross misconduct and that he would have been dismissed had he still been a serving officer.
His conduct was described as "very serious" and he had displayed "dishonesty over an extended period of time", the Chief Constable said. In June or July 2024, Sutcliffe began a relationship with a probationary officer referred to as PC A during the proceedings.
Relationship details
Sutcliffe repeatedly lied about the relationship when challenged by the force and told PC A to do the same. He also sent explicit messages, including videos, while on duty to the point where it affected his ability to perform his job, the hearing was told. He was also found to have had sex with PC A in public places, "knowing and intending there was a risk of being caught".
Sutcliffe passed on confidential details of another officer's arrest to PC A without a proper policing purpose. Detective Inspector Holly Hunter, of the force's Professional Standards Department, said rumours of a relationship were investigated in August 2025, and he denied it in interview, saying they were just friends.
Evidence and impact
In November last year, PC A told investigators they had been in a relationship since the previous summer, and examination of her phone showed they had shared 57,568 WhatsApp messages and 6,631 texts. A large number were sexual in nature, some were sent on duty, others discussed outdoor sex and they agreed to lie about what they were doing if challenged, DI Hunter told the hearing.
The Chief Constable said Sutcliffe made a written submission, accepting his conduct amounted to misconduct but suggesting it fell short of gross misconduct. PC Adam Woodland, for the Police Federation on behalf of Sutcliffe, said the former officer did not believe his performance had been affected and that colleagues would support that. Reading a statement on his behalf, PC Woodland said: "I apologise for the areas where I fell short and I have reflected on them."
Sutcliffe also queried why PC A had not faced disciplinary action. The Chief Constable said she believed that needed further consideration by the Appropriate Authority. Regarding the texts sent while on duty, Ms Fuller said: "The sheer volume and contents implies there must have been some distraction from his commitment to work which would have inevitably interfered with the proper performance of his duty."
The Chief Constable said Sutcliffe, who joined the force in 2005, will be barred from future service.
