1. Granada
  2. 4 updates

GMP Assistant Chief Constable escapes sack after 'baring breast at colleague'

A female police chief has escaped the sack after she launched a drunken tirade at a junior colleague about the size of her breasts.

Live updates

WATCH: Senior police officer Rebekah Sutcliffe keeps job after flashing a breast during drunken rant

The senior police officer who flashed a breast at a colleague during a drunken rant, will keep her job - despite being found guilty of gross misconduct. Assistant Chief Constable Rebekah Sutcliffe, from Greater Manchester Police, could've been sacked.

But a disciplinary panel ruled she should receive a final written warning instead. The officer's publicly apologised for her behaviour, and says she'll ensure it never happens again. Sarah Rogers was at the hearing.

GMP ACC Rebekah Sutcliffe 'ashamed' over breast incident

GMP Assistant Chief Constable Rebekah Sutcliffe says she's 'ashamed', and that she 'deeply regrets' what happened after she escaped the sack for launching a drunken tirade at a junior colleague about the size of her breasts.

This afternoon she gave this statement at Greater Manchester Police's force Headquarters:

I would like to repeat the apology that I have already given to Sarah Jackson, to the Chief Constable and to my colleagues. I deeply regret what happened and the impact it has had upon those people. I continue to feel very ashamed that I behaved in this way. I would also like to apologise now to the public - for the unpleasant nature of the incident and for the fact that I have let them down.

The responsibility for what happened is mine and mine alone. At the time of the incident, I was under significant personal and professional pressure. In this context I foolishly became drunk, and as a result behaved in a way that is entirely at odds with the way I conduct myself on a daily basis and with the person and senior leader that I want to be.

I did not mean any of the things that I said and I am dismayed that I was so unkind and unfair. I hold Sarah Jackson in high esteem, and prior to this incident consistently supported her and many others over a number of years with professional development and progression.

Since the incident, through the support of professional counselling and my family and friends, I have reflected carefully on what has happened and taken steps to ensure this never happens again. I am determined to continue on this path.

I am passionately committed to the work of Greater Manchester Police and to public service. I have always sought to treat victims, the vulnerable, the wider public and my colleagues with care and respect and to promote this behaviour in others.

I am very grateful that I have been given the opportunity to return to work. On my return, I will bring the very best of my abilities to serve policing and the public as well as I am able. What I did was wrong, and I apologise for it. I now look forward to getting back to serving the community I love. 30 January 2017

– ACC Rebekah Sutcliffe, Greater Manchester Police

Advertisement

GMP Assistant Chief Constable allowed to keep job

A female police chief has escaped the sack after she launched a drunken tirade at a junior colleague about the size of her breasts.

Assistant Chief Constable Rebekah Sutcliffe, of Greater Manchester Police (GMP), told Superintendent Sarah Jackson that her "credibility was zero" after she had a "boob job" and berated her as a "laughing stock" who would be judged professionally "on the size of her tits".

She then went on to pull down the front of her dress to expose her left breast and say: "Look at these, look at these, these are the breasts of someone who has had three children.

"They are ugly but I don't feel the need to pump myself full of silicone to get self-esteem."

Following a misconduct hearing late last year, a disciplinary panel ruled that she had breached standards of professional behaviour.

But GMP Deputy Chief Constable Ian Pilling ruled on Monday that she could keep her job.

Credit: MEN syndication

The panel had stated her gross misconduct had taken her to "the very precipice of dismissal" but accepted it was out of character and recommended a final written warning would suffice.

Ms Sutcliffe, who was the most senior female GMP officer at the time, verbally attacked her younger subordinate following a gala dinner at the national Senior Women in Policing Conference last May.

The haranguing in the early hours of May 6 at Manchester's Hilton Hotel concluded when Ms Sutcliffe told her colleague she was no longer going to support a further promotion for her.

Ms Jackson, who was appointed by Ms Sutcliffe as a temporary superintendent in a secondment role, later said she was "shocked, mortified, embarrassed and ashamed" at the comments made by her superior.

She added that she had suffered "great anxiety from the night itself and since".

Ms Sutcliffe's counsel, John Beggs QC, had handed the panel more than 200 pages of testimonials with many officers speaking of Ms Sutcliffe as "inspirational", "visionary" and "a strong leader".

One unnamed female detective chief inspector at GMP said she is "a role model to many women in the organisation".

Mr Beggs said she remained a role model, with "human frailties", who would "emerge as an even impressive senior leader" if allowed to.

Back to top