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02
Jul
Ex-Harrogate police officer faces sexual assault hearing
A former Harrogate police officer will face a misconduct hearing next week following allegations he sexually assaulted a woman while on duty.
Christopher Hudson, a North Yorkshire Police officer based in Harrogate at the time, was found not guilty of the offences at Leeds Crown Court last February.
But according to a notice of the misconduct hearing posted by the constabulary, Hudson allegedy suggested he and a female co-worker – who has been dubbed PC A for legal reasons – should “have sex in the police van” while on duty.
The notice details a series of allegations against Hudson.
It says the incident happened on February 3, 2021 when he allegedly told the woman words to the effect of:
You can’t tell anybody about what I’ve said to you.
Five days later, the two officers were on duty and driving to an unnamed location in the police van.
The notice claims Hudson told PC A the area was “known for dogging”. He then proceeded to stop the van and propositioned PC A for sex, adding “no one would ever know”.
PC A said the pair “should not do anything” and that she “did not want to do anything”, it adds.
He then allegedly persisted in his pursuit and told PC A to “move to the middle seat on the van” – which she did.
Hudson then “stroked PC A’s hair” and “leant in and kissed” her.
The notice alleges he then took the woman’s hand and placed it on his groin, bringing it into contact with his “semi-erect penis”.
‘Might as well have sex’
The document, which directly addresses Hudson, also alleges:
You placed your hand on PC A’s groin/upper thigh area.
PC A told you that she did not want anything to happen.
You told her, words to the effect, that now you had kissed you might as well have sex, as the repurcussions would be the same if you were found out.
Hudson then allegedly told PC A she “had been teasing” him.
She denied this and said she “could not have been clearer” that she did not want anything to happen.
The woman moved back to the passenger seat of the police van, before Hudson drove them to a “remote, quiet location”.
The document continues:
You parked the van, and said to PC A words to the effect of, 'right, what about here?'
It says the former officer's behaviour towards PC A was “unwanted” and had the effect of “violating her dignity” and “creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading or offensive environment” for her.
Hudson’s behaviour is “so serious” it led to his dismissal and amounts to “gross misconduct”, the document adds.
The misconduct hearing, which will take place on Friday (July 12) at 10am, will be held at the police headquarters in Northallerton.
Misleading the force
Although he walked free from the criminal hearing last year, Hudson was later dismissed from the force after misleading the police during a vetting process.
He was alleged to have acted dishonestly, including failing to declare he was friends with a convicted criminal and failing to notify the force that he had been involved in a criminal investigation in 2006.
During a vetting application in 2018, he failed to declare his association with convicted criminal Richard Calvert, who was jailed for six years for robbery in April 2012. Hudson had visited Calvert seven times at HMP Wealstun near Wetherby, between 2012 and 2014.
The Stray Ferret reported at the time Hudson, who is originally from Huddersfield, claimed Calvert was "purely someone whom I know by name from my youth".
But the hearing found he visited him on multiple occasions and was even arrested alongside him for arson.
Hudson spent 18 minutes on the phone to Calvert on one occasion, during which he wished him a happy birthday.
The hearing found Hudson failed to supply the correct information about being arrested for arson and criminal damage in 2006.
He also failed to delcare he had four siblings – instead claiming he had just one "half-sister" in his application – and also failed to declare he had two county court judgements against him, only declaring one.
Hudson was dismissed from the force without notice at the time.
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