Police officer who sexually assaulted colleague after work night out avoids jail

A serving British Transport Police (BTP) officer who sexually assaulted a colleague after a work night-out in London has been spared jail.

Police Sergeant Tristan Davis, of Northfleet, Gravesend, was found guilty of three sexual assaults on his female colleague on 23 April last year.

He tried to excuse his behaviour at London Bridge station and during a train ride as “playful” in a police interview.

The victim was forced to leave her seat on the train and stand in the aisle to escape Davis.

She reported the incident to BTP’s professional standards department and Davis was suspended while a criminal investigation took place.

Davis, who appeared at Inner London Crown Court on Friday wearing a navy suit and a grey tie, was given a sentence of 15 months in prison – suspended for two years.

A fast-track misconduct hearing will now be held to determine the future of his employment, BTP said.

In an impact statement to the court, the victim said: “When I joined the British Transport Police I swore an oath that I would protect people."

“I never expected that I would have to protect myself from another officer.”

The BTP worker said that the assault left her feeling worthless.

“When I was on that train I felt worthless. I felt like I was not a person but another opportunity for him to get what he wanted,” she said.

However, she said that she knew that by reporting him she could protect others.

“I knew that I could not protect myself that night, but reporting it was something I could do to protect myself, and to protect others,” she said.

Reka Hollos, in mitigation, said the judge should take into account the “additional punishment” that Davis will suffer by losing his job as a police officer.

“It is virtually certain that he will be dismissed from his role by the end of the year,” she said.

She added: “He will never be a police officer again. He will be barred from working with vulnerable children and adults as a result of this conviction.”

In his sentencing remarks, Judge Silas Reid told the court the three sexual assaults took place during a train ride after a work night-out.

The first incident occurred while the pair made their way through London Bridge station.

On the train, Davis sat beside the victim and the court heard that he made comments about her chest, before sexually assaulting her twice.

The judge added: “You may still not understand the impact of your pathetic behaviour, if so you must be the only person in this court who doesn’t.”

However, the judge said that he would not give Davis an immediate custodial sentence due to the impact it would have on his family.

He was ordered to do 100 hours of unpaid work and sign the sex offenders register.

He was also given a 50-day rehabilitation activity requirement and was handed a curfew of between 7pm to 6am for the next six months.

BTP's Deputy Chief Constable Alistair Sutherland said: “I would like to be completely clear that Tristan Davis does not represent the values of BTP officers am acutely aware of how damaging incidents like this are to public confidence in policing, and I am equally as appalled that a serving officer could ever think to conduct themselves in such a way.

“I would like to reassure the public that we will always relentlessly challenge and thoroughly investigate any officer who breaks the law or falls short of the exemplary standards we expect.”

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