Trainee Officer Dismissed After Inappropriate Advances
A trainee police officer has been permanently barred from serving in any UK police force after making unwanted sexual advances toward a senior colleague during a drunken night out. Brogan Canning, who was undergoing training with North Yorkshire Police, placed her hand on her colleague's leg and asked him "do you think I'm fit?" before attempting to kiss him.
The virtual misconduct hearing heard how Canning repeatedly told her former tutor "you know you want to" during the incident, which left the male officer feeling both anger and embarrassment. The panel determined that her actions constituted gross misconduct and ruled that she would have been dismissed had she not already resigned from the force.
Details of the Incident Emerge
According to witness testimony presented at the hearing, Nathan Mills described watching Canning "stroking the hand" of the male officer, who later clarified she had actually been stroking his leg. Another colleague, PC Megan Smith, recalled Canning "acting oddly throughout the night" before eventually putting her in a taxi home.
The male officer immediately reported the incident to PC Smith and later told the hearing that he "had expected more professional behaviour" from Canning, who resigned after an investigation was launched into her conduct.
Four specific allegations were considered by the misconduct panel: attempting to kiss the officer, grabbing him by the back of the neck, pulling his head towards hers, touching his upper thigh or groin area, and repeatedly making the suggestive comment "you know you want to" before asking about her appearance.
Defence and Consequences
In her written statement, Canning's mother described the behaviour as "out-of-character," while Canning herself acknowledged drinking a significant amount of alcohol that impaired her judgment and memory of events. The panel noted she did not dispute the allegations and had shown remorse from the outset, extending personal apologies to the officer involved.
However, Assistant Chief Officer Sarah Jackson, who chaired the hearing, stated: "This matter concerns multiple breaches of the standards and clearly could have an impact on public confidence in policing and the reputation of the police service."
The panel found statements from the victim and three colleagues - PC Nathan Mills, PC Megan Smith, and PS Ryan Lyth - to be credible, determining that "an unwanted sexual approach towards PC A amounts to victimising and offensive behaviour" and represented a clear breach of professional standards.
As a result of the ruling, Canning has been placed on the police barred list, preventing her from serving with any UK police force in the future.
Similar Case Highlights Pattern
The decision comes shortly after another trainee officer, Maryam Ilyas, 20, was banned for life from policing for passing confidential information to her drug dealer boyfriend. The former West Yorkshire Police officer accessed force computers to find data about her boyfriend and inform him about police operations targeting him.
Ms Ilyas resigned ahead of her disciplinary hearing, but the panel similarly ruled she would have been fired. Her misconduct involved using police computer systems to search for details about the man on three occasions between March and May 2025, and failing to declare the relationship during her vetting process.
Both cases highlight the serious consequences for police officers who breach professional standards, particularly during their probationary periods when they are expected to demonstrate the highest levels of integrity and professionalism.
