A female police officer in the U.K. has been accused of groping two male colleagues during a drunken night out.
PC Tia Johnson-Warne allegedly came onto both men during a work social event at a pub in Ryde on the Isle of Wight, the Telegraph reported.
Johnson-Warne grabbed one of the officers, identified only as PC A for legal reasons, just above the knee before moving her hand up his thigh in the “incredibly awkward” move, the panel at the Hampshire Constabulary misconduct hearing was told.
PC A stopped the incident by excusing himself to go to the bathroom, then did not return to his original seat, the panel heard.
Johnson-Warne then proceeded to send him text messages asking, “Don’t you want to f*** me?,” as well as sending him a sexy photo, the panel heard.
She then made advances towards another officer, identified as PC B, by rubbing her hand over his crotch for about 20 seconds, the panel was told.
PC B recalled their group was banned from ordering more drinks because of how drunk Johnson-Warne was.
PC A, who ended up in the back of a car with the female officer on the way home, also claimed she tried to pull his hand under her clothing.
RECOMMENDED VIDEO
Johnson-Warne is facing gross misconduct charges for the inappropriate and unwanted acts.
She admitted to touching and messaging PC A but claims it was “not unwelcome” flirting, while denying touching PC B entirely.
Alan Jenkins, representing the force, said the female officer’s actions were “plainly inappropriate,” noting how Johnson-Warne “tried to pull (PC A’s) hand between her legs and under her clothing” and “touched (PC B) in a sexually provocative manner over clothing” during the work outing.
He said: “For an officer sexually to touch colleagues in such a manner that they feel uncomfortable is plainly inappropriate.”
Jenkins added: “The issue of gender is properly immaterial … whether a male officer touched female colleagues without their consent or a female officer touched male colleagues does not matter for these purposes. Alcohol consumption, particularly if excessive, does not provide any excuse or justification for any touching that is unwelcome or unwanted in the circumstances.”
PCA noted in the ongoing hearing, “It was incredibly awkward, I have not had to deal with that behaviour before. I did not know how to process or deal with it. It was not anything I invited or wanted, I wanted that situation to stop.”
PC B said, “I did feel that I was a victim of something sexually inappropriate. I’m not as sociable nowadays. I have tried to ignore what happened and move on.”