Former PC barred from policing after criminal convictions
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A former police officer convicted of controlling and coercive behaviour offences has been barred from policing.
PC Mitchell Curtis will be added to a national barred list following the outcome of an accelerated misconduct hearing held at Police Headquarters today (Wednesday 19 February).
In November, PC Curtis was found guilty following a trial of two counts of controlling and coercive behaviour, intentional suffocation and criminal damage. He will be sentenced for these offences later this month.
The offences occurred in South Gloucestershire and were committed while Curtis was off-duty.
The jury heard how Curtis had been physically, emotionally and verbally abusive towards the victim over an 18-month period.
Our Professional Standards Department carried out a parallel investigation into Curtis. Due to the seriousness of his offences, the criminal trial took primacy.
At the accelerated hearing today, held in front of former Assistant Chief Constable Craig Holden, Curtis was found to have committed gross misconduct and would have been dismissed for breaching the Standards of Professional Behaviour, had he not previously resigned.
Following the hearing, Assistant Chief Constable Joanne Hall said: “We want to reiterate our recognition of the immense bravery and courage shown by the victim throughout.
“Curtis’ offending was abusive, manipulating and highly damaging and we want to be clear – he is in no way fit to be a police officer and should never hold a post in policing or law enforcement again.
“No police officer is above the law. I hope the outcome of both the judicial and misconduct proceedings reassure any victim of crime that we take these matters incredibly seriously. We will always be perpetrator focussed, no matter who the offender is.”
An outcome notice will be published to the misconduct page of our website in due course.