PC sacked after groping colleagues at drunken party

A police officer who sexually assaulted two colleagues at a leaving party has been dismissed from North Wales Police following a misconduct hearing.

PC Pamela Pritchard, 29, groped a male colleague’s genitals twice and grabbed a female officer’s breasts during a drunken night at Caernarfon Rugby Club, Gwynedd, in March 2024.

The four-day hearing in Colwyn Bay, Conwy, was told PC Pritchard thrust her hand into a male colleague’s groin on two separate occasions – once at the bar and again in the smoking area. She later sat on his knee and kissed him on the lips.

PC B, the male officer, told the hearing: “To no extent was it appropriate – I felt kind of humiliated at that point.” He added: “She grabbed my genitals outside my clothes and I distinctly remember her squeezing them.”

CCTV footage shown to the panel captured PC Pritchard “twerking” on the dance floor before approaching a female colleague from behind. PC A told the hearing: “PC Pritchard came up from behind me, put both her arms around my neck, then put them under my armpits and grabbed my breasts and squeezed them.”

PC Pritchard, who joined the force as a trainee in 2023, also attempted to kiss a senior colleague during the party on 29 March 2024.

Giving evidence, PC Pritchard broke down in tears and said: “My behaviour that evening was inappropriate I’ve never acted like that before. I’m absolutely mortified at what’s happened – I don’t recognise the person I see on that CCTV – all I can do is apologise.”

She told the hearing: “I feel I’ve let down the police, I’ve let down myself and I’ve let down my family.” She added that she has had “panic and nightmares” and felt “people thought I was a sexual predator”.

PC Pritchard admitted her behaviour was inappropriate but denied it amounted to gross misconduct. However, the panel found all allegations proven.

Assistant Chief Constable Chris Allsop, the panel chair, said on Thursday: “Overall, the panel finds that the breaches of standards are of medium to high seriousness which could justify dismissal as gross misconduct.”

Barrister Fiona Clancy, representing PC Pritchard, had argued she should keep her job, stating: “She accepts her behaviour was unacceptable. This was a short-lived episode, of brief duration, and there is no risk of it happening again. PC Pritchard has been doing voluntary work while she has been waiting for this hearing, and has kept her fitness levels up – there is a genuine motivation to keep serving the community.”

North Wales Police’s Deputy Chief Constable Nigel Harrison said PC Pritchard’s behaviour “fell far below the standard we expect of our police officers”.

He added: “There is no issue with officers when off duty relaxing and enjoying themselves but her behaviour that night was simply not acceptable by anyone’s standards. She has rightly been dismissed, bringing to an end her very short career with us and preventing her from serving with any other UK force.”