Former PC Coffey Gross Misconduct Hearing Outcome

A Gross Misconduct hearing which concluded today, Friday 22 November 2024, found former PC Robert Coffey guilty of Gross Misconduct. Coffey was dismissed form the force with immiediate effect and will be bnarred from the police service. 

In March 2019, PC Coffey addressed a domestic incident while on patrol in Hartlepool Town Centre.

Both the man and woman involved in the incident appeared to have suffered injuries and PC Coffey took the woman home. The incident was not recorded, and PC Coffey did not carry out any proper investigation not the incident.

The following day, the same woman was found with facial injuries after officers were called to her home address. The man she had been with the night before was arrested for assault.

Following the arrest of the man, PC Coffey made false entries on police systems.

Detective Chief Inspector Pete Littlewood, Head of Cleveland Police’s Counter Corruption and Vetting Unit, said:

“Robert Coffey’s failure to uphold the standards of professional behaviour rightly expected of police officers, led to a vulnerable victim coming to harm. 

“Coffey not only let the force down, but he let down a vulnerable woman who needed our help and protection – and that is much worse.

“His lack of action, absence of any investigation, and the subsequent lies he told, rightly means he has been found guilty of gross misconduct, dismissed from Cleveland Police. 

“People like Coffey are not welcome in Cleveland Police. We continue to have vigorous processes in place, both before officers and staff join the force, but also during their service, which mean we can root out any discreditable conduct and lack of standards in behaviour. Where we find these cases, we will always take robust action.”