Former constable, 41, told junior officer she was “gorgeous” and suggested they “sit naked under a blanket with wine” during a secretive two-month pursuit, misconduct panel hears.
A married Dorset Police officer has been banned from policing for life after a panel ruled he abused his position to pursue a sexual relationship with a vulnerable junior colleague he was training.
Former PC Matthew Gareth Constable, 41, resigned from the force in August 2024 but still faced a gross misconduct hearing earlier this month.
The hearing was told Constable showered the young female officer – referred to only as PC A – with gifts, compliments and secret meetings. He kissed her on the lips in a private interview room, bought her chocolates, invited her to his home for dinner, and spoke about spa weekends away.
He also sent her messages describing her as “beautiful” and told her: “Let’s sit on the sofa naked under a blanket with a bottle of wine, nice food, and then we can make love.”
The panel dismissed Constable’s claim that he was only seeking an “emotional” relationship, ruling instead that his conduct was “clearly sexual in nature”.
Chair ACC D Smith said: “The public would not tolerate a police force that accommodated an officer who had behaved as Constable had done. The gross misconduct was so serious as to justify dismissal.”
Had Constable still been serving, the panel confirmed he would have been sacked without notice. Instead, his name will now appear on the College of Policing’s barred list, preventing him from ever returning to policing.
Dorset Police
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23 Misconduct Hearings
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This archive brings together misconduct hearings, disciplinary outcomes and criminal cases involving officers from Dorset Police. It includes reporting on hearings, published outcomes, and related court proceedings, along with indexed data on cases over time.
