A former Greater Manchester Police sergeant who had sex with a detective he supervised in a car—before telling her to 'f*** off then'—misled force bosses about their relationship, a misconduct hearing was told. Named only as 'former officer Beard', he sent 'unprofessional' flirtatious messages to the woman shortly after joining her team. Despite being warned it would be inappropriate, he entered into a relationship that 'became sexual'.
Relationship began after joining CID team
Mr Beard joined GMP in October 2013. In 2022, he joined a CID team in Manchester central as temporary detective sergeant. Shortly after, he sent an 'unsolicited' WhatsApp message to a colleague, referred to as 'Detective Constable A'. He said he found her to be a 'very sexual person' and that he was attracted to her. He told a fellow detective sergeant he found the woman attractive. The DS warned Mr Beard that a relationship would be 'inappropriate' as he was her sergeant and had supervisory responsibility.
Despite that, they began a relationship. In a witness statement, 'DC A' said she had been warned by others that Mr Beard 'had a reputation', but 'decided to make her own opinion of him'. In November 2022, 'DC A' said she had sex for the 'one and only time' with Mr Beard in a car after they left work. She stated that 'after the act was completed' Mr Beard told her to 'f*** off then'.
Panel finds dishonest concealment
Mr Beard was not present or legally represented at the hearing on April 15 this year, chaired by Assistant Chief Constable Matthew Boyle. In a written response, Mr Beard admitted they shared a car and engaged in 'sexual activity' and 'sexual intercourse' in a vehicle. 'DC A' said she 'felt as if she could not back out of any planned sexual activity as she knew she had to spend the whole day in work with former officer Beard and did not want him to get mad at her'. Although she 'didn't say no', she said she 'was afraid of being caught and losing her job'.
The panel ruled Mr Beard 'failed to report at any stage' the relationship to his supervisors and had 'concealed his wrongdoing when questioned'. After being asked about the relationship by a detective inspector, Mr Beard 'denied any inappropriate contact or inappropriate messages', which the panel ruled was 'dishonest'.
Kissing at social event and pressure to concoct story
In January 2023, during a social event with work colleagues in Manchester city centre, the pair were witnessed kissing by another DC. 'DC A' 'felt pressure' to 'concoct' a story that he had been comforting her; that she had misread signals; and that she had instigated. 'DC A was pressurised into agreeing that she had instigated the kiss because former officer beard told her that he stood to lose his job and threatened suicide if the nature of the kiss was made publicly known,' the panel concluded.
Mr Beard 'requested sexual photographs' and 'became abusive' when they were not sent. He got 'upset' if she talked to other men in the office, which 'created an atmosphere' and was an example of his 'abus[e] of power and authority'.
Abusive messages about colleague
The panel said Mr Beard sent 'offensive, inappropriate and unprofessional' messages to 'DC A' about a colleague—referred to as 'DC B'—who suspected they were in a relationship. 'Tell moody t*** to put a smile on her face,' he said. Mr Beard referred to her as a 'moody virtuous c****' and said he was 'going to start being a c****' with her at work. He was also 'abusive' to her when she made a joke about 'DC A' on a night out. 'DC B' 'no longer felt that she could go to former officer beard for advice, despite him being her supervisor'.
Gross misconduct and dismissal
The panel said he 'held a position of trust and responsibility' and that there was an 'imbalance of power and authority'. Bosses found Mr Beard had breached professional standards relating to authority, respect, courtesy, honesty, and integrity, and that his behaviour amounted to gross misconduct. Mr Beard resigned from the force in October 2023. He would have been dismissed without notice if he had not. He has been added to the College of Policing's barred list.
