A former Warwickshire Police Detective Sergeant was today (Monday 29 July) sentenced for assault after a court heard he attacked a woman in Nantwich, Cheshire.

Ex-Detective Sergeant Paul Whitehurst, 53, appeared before Chester Crown Court and was given an 18-week prison sentence after previously pleading guilty to four counts of assault.

He had also been handed an indefinite restraining order which prevents him from contacting the victim.  

The officer had previously faced an accelerated gross misconduct hearing that found he would have been dismissed from the force had he not already retired.

He has also been placed on the College of Policing barred list.

The charges relate to four incidents which occurred between October and December 2023.

During one of the incidents Whitehurst pushed the victim across a caravan following a disagreement between the pair, on another occasion he verbally abused her and threw a pint over her after she spoke to another man at a pub.

When he was arrested for these offences in December 2023, Whitehurst then went on to breach the terms of his bail in January 2024. In June 2024 the force held an accelerated misconduct hearing, which found that he would have been dismissed had he not previously retired.

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Ex-Detective Sergeant Paul Whitehurst has been jailed (image via Cheshire Constabulary)

As with any officer who abuses their position of trust and commits serious criminal offences, the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) will now consider whether there are opportunities to progress a police pension forfeiture application.

The gross misconduct hearing found Whitehurst had breached the standards of professional behaviour in respect of discreditable conduct.

Deputy Chief Constable Alex Franklin-Smith said: “Paul Whitehurst has been convicted of serious offences involving violence against a woman, and we welcome the conviction and sentence handed down to him today.

“I would like to recognise the bravery the victim has shown in coming forward to report her ordeal and support this investigation. I hope she can take some comfort from this outcome.

“The public has the right to expect the highest standards of behaviour from their police officers when they are both on and off duty. As a police force, we expect nothing less as the trust of our communities depends on it.

“We were able to progress accelerated gross misconduct proceedings against Whitehurst at the earliest opportunity and these found that he would have been dismissed had he not previously retired from the force.

“He was also placed on the College of Policing barred list, which prevents him from working in policing and other positions of responsibility.

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“We are committed to taking robust and immediate action against officers who don’t uphold these standards and will continue to work hard to maintain the confidence of the public.”

The outcome of the misconduct hearing is subject to appeal.