South Yorkshire Police officer found guilty of sex assault after taking photos down teenager's top

A South Yorkshire police officer who pulled down a teenager's top and took pictures of her breasts during a night out at a pub has been found guilty of sexual assault.

Paul Hinchcliffe, 46, a married father-of-four, worked as a trainer for the force but is currently suspended.

A jury at Leeds Crown Court heard how the young woman, aged 18 at the time, and the defendant were in a group drinking at a Wetherspoons pub in Wath-upon-Dearne, South Yorkshire, on 3 October, 2020.

She said Hinchcliffe made suggestive comments to her and later started flicking foam from his beer at her.

"Then he got his phone and kind of pulled my top open and took a picture down my top," she said.

Hinchcliffe told the group he was going to send the picture to his friend who could not make it out that night, she added. He also later sent her sexually explicit messages.

Hinchcliffe told the court he was "mortified" to be on trial, saying the woman consented to him taking a photograph of her cleavage.

The defendant - who not on duty at the time of the offence - admitted sending a picture taken down the woman's top to a colleague but denied pulling the garment down.

He said he had been drinking beer with a group, including other officers, for around seven and a half hours at the time of the incident.

Hinchcliffe was sat with his head in his hands and could be heard sobbing when the guilty verdict was announced.Judge Robin Mairs told Hinchcliffe he would be sentenced at a later date following a report from the probation service.

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