Paul Hinchcliffe: Gross misconduct proven in case of disgraced South Yorkshire cop found guilty of sexual assault

46-year-old Police Constable Paul Hinchcliffe was found guilty of sexually assaulting an 18-year-old woman by pulling down her top, following a trial at Leeds Crown Court which concluded on January 10, 2023. He is now due to be sentenced during a hearing due to be held at the court on February 24.

During a misconduct hearing held this month, the conduct of Hinchcliffe was found to amount to ‘gross misconduct’.

Hinchcliffe, who worked in training, had resigned from his position with South Yorkshire Police prior to the hearing taking place, and ‘did not engage’ with the misconduct investigation, documents detailing the findings of the hearing state.

Commenting on Hinchcliffe’s offending, the documents continue: “This is a conviction for an offence which would particularly concern the public, this is a conviction for a sexual offence. The public rightly expect police officers to protect women, girls and others from inappropriate sexual behaviour and being convicted of such offences particularly undermines the public trust.

"Public confidence in policing continues to be shaken by the conduct of police officers who perpetrate sexual violence against women and girls both on and off duty. Police perpetrated sexual misconduct is an area of particular public concern.”

“Police officers are expected to uphold the law. A central part of that is that they obey it themselves. Being convicted of criminal offences therefore causes very substantial discredit

to fall upon South Yorkshire Police and policing nationally across the United Kingdom. The conduct is a breach of the professional standards of behaviour of Discreditable Conduct.”

The gross misconduct proven in Hinchcliffe’s case was deemed to be a ‘breach of the standards so serious’ that he ‘would have been dismissed if the officer had not ceased to be a member of the police force,’ the documents state.

During the course of the trial, jurors heard how Hinchcliffe made sexually suggestive comments towards an 18-year-old woman, the complainant, at The Church House public house in Wath on the afternoon of Saturday 3 October, 2020.

Hinchcliffe also took a photograph of the complainant, who cannot be named for legal reasons, and showing it to other people then flicked beer foam from the top of his pint at her chest area, pulled her top down and took another photograph.

The complainant was upset by the incident and asked a friend to come and pick her up so she could leave.

Following a report to South Yorkshire Police’s Professional Standards Department (PSD) an investigation was launched.

A spokesperson for the force said Hinchcliffe answered ‘no comment’ to all questions put to him during interview.

Hinchcliffe sat with his head in his hands during the trial, and could be heard sobbing when the guilty verdict was announced last month.

Speaking after the guilty verdict, Detective Superintendent Delphine Waring, head of PSD, said: "Hinchcliffe behaved in a way that day that fell well below the standards we expect of our officers and staff, including when they are not on duty. Colleagues across the force are as appalled by this behaviour as our communities will be.”

“We remain firmly committed to ensuring our workforce reflects the high standards the people of South Yorkshire rightly expect and will continue to take appropriate action when this does not happen.”