PC Stuart Ayling Gave Stalking Suspect Three-minute Phone Warning After Woman Reported Assaults

A police officer who gave a suspected stalker a three-minute telephone warning after his former partner reported repeated harassment and previous assaults has received a four-year final written warning.

PC Stuart Ayling attended Miss X on January 3, 2024, after she reported that her former boyfriend had repeatedly harassed her at work.

She also disclosed previous assaults in which she had been punched and suffered bruising.

But a Cumbria Police misconduct panel found Ayling failed to adequately investigate the allegations, consider other available policing options or properly safeguard Miss X.

The panel found he failed to adequately consider options including arrest, a Domestic Violence Protection Notice or a Stalking Protection Order.

He also failed to explain those options to Miss X, take a statement from her mother and accurately complete a minimum standards checklist.

The panel criticised Ayling’s lack of professional curiosity and found that his response to the reported crimes and risk was inadequate.

Miss X was seriously assaulted by her former partner the following day, although the panel expressly stated that Ayling was not responsible for that assault.

The Standards of Professional Behaviour relating to Duties and Responsibilities and Discreditable Conduct were proven to have been breached.

An allegation that Ayling acted dishonestly or without integrity was not proven.

The panel determined that the proven conduct amounted to misconduct rather than gross misconduct.

The panel concluded that a written warning was insufficient and imposed a final written warning lasting four years.