Former Gwent detective guilty of gross misconduct assault

A former Gwent Police detective sergeant has been found guilty of gross misconduct after being convicted of assaulting a man while off duty in Devon.

Joanne Marston, who held the rank of Detective Sergeant, resigned from the force just moments before her accelerated misconduct hearing began at Cwmbran on Monday.

The incident occurred in Devon during February 2024 when Marston was off duty. Following the assault, she was arrested and charged with common assault, later appearing before Exeter Magistrates’ Court in March last year where she was convicted.

Despite her resignation, the misconduct panel proceeded with the hearing in her absence. The professional standards investigation concluded that she had breached standards regarding discreditable conduct, with the panel ruling the allegation as proven gross misconduct.

Had Marston not resigned, she would have been dismissed from Gwent Police without notice.

Assistant Chief Constable Vicki Townsend, who chaired the hearing, delivered a strong statement about the former officer’s conduct:

“The actions of this former officer were both shocking and unacceptable; neither we nor the public accept such behaviour from police officers whether on or off duty. While the vast majority of our officers, staff and volunteers conduct themselves impeccably while working to protect our communities, it is behaviour like that shown by this former officer which undermines public trust and confidence in policing. There is no place in Gwent Police for those who act in this fashion; it is right that the public expects their officers to uphold the highest standards which this former officer has failed to do.”

Marston’s name will now be added to the College of Policing’s barred list, preventing her from serving in any police force across the country.