Ex-Warwickshire Police officer convicted after relationship
An ex-Warwickshire Police officer has been convicted of misconduct following a relationship with a woman whose case he was involved in investigating.
The charge related to “a personal relationship” Alan Butler, 64, from Nuneaton, had with a woman between October 2015 and August 2017.
He has pleaded not guilty at Warwick Crown Court to two charges of misconduct in a public office.
The jury has not yet reached a verdict on the second charge.
Prosecutor Grace Ong has said the prosecution case was “he entered into a sexual relationship with one woman, and also did some inappropriate touching and had a personal relationship with [another woman]”.
The jury, which found Butler guilty of one charge by a unanimous verdict, has heard he committed the offence after returning to the force as a staff investigator, having retired after completing 30 years as police officer.
The first charge related to “a personal relationship” he had with a woman between 2015 and 2017 at a time when he was investigating an allegation made by her.
The second charge alleges similar conduct by Butler, from Camp Hill, Nuneaton, with another woman whose case he was investigating in 2017.
‘Been through enough’
Giving evidence, the first woman said when he needed to be supportive, “his professional hat went on” and otherwise “he would be flirty, but not in a way, when I first met him, that I thought it was something wrong”.
Describing Butler “bombarding” her with calls, she said: “Sometimes it made me feel flattered, but sometimes it was just crazy.”
She said that after the trial at which she had to give evidence and a subsequent appeal, she told Butler she was moving away to start again.
“He came round and came through the door, and he was saying ‘Have you reported me?’ He was frantic.
“I said ‘As if I would, I’ve been through enough,’ and he said it must be this other woman.”
The first woman also said he stated “I was the only person he had had an extra-marital affair with”.
She added: “He asked me to send his sergeant an email to say how much he had supported me during the case.”
Giving evidence, Butler had denied ever kissing the woman, and was asked by his barrister Christopher Millington QC: “Did you have sexual intercourse with her?” He answered: “I can’t do it. No, Your Honour.”
Mr Millington continued: “Or any other sort of sexual activity?” And Butler claimed: “No, Your Honour.”
The case continues.
Source: (BBC News)