A perverted policeman has been jailed after flicking beer at a teenager, pulling down her top and taking a photograph. Married father-of-four Paul Hinchcliffe, 46, has been sentenced to eight months behind bars for the disgusting act, which he followed by texting the 18-year-old: “God I’d do you.”
The judge lamented Hinchcliffe’s actions for eroding trust in officers. The young woman said his behaviour had completely destroyed her faith in the police.
Hinchcliffe was found guilty of sexual assault earlier this year for the crime in a Wetherspoons pub in Wath upon Dearne, South Yorkshire, on October 3, 2020. He was sentenced at Leeds Crown Court, and resigned following his conviction.
Judge Robin Mairs recounted the creepy copper’s actions on the night. He said Hinchcliffe had flicked beer at the woman, mimicking semen, before pulling down her top.
Then, making sexual noises, he took a photograph of her bra and said to the other officers he was with: “I’m going to have a w*** to that tonight.”
But Hinchcliffe – who was responsible for training new recruits into the force – continued to harass the young woman even after seeing her in the pub.
Later on, the victim received a message from him with the image he took. With it, he had also sent what was described as emojis related to masturbation.
Another message said: “God I’d do you, is that bad?”
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In an impact statement read to the court, the victim said: “All my trust for the police just went. I used to feel safe when I saw police officers. I never think that now.
“He sexually assaulted me when he should’ve been in a role that protects people.”
Hinchcliffe’s lawyer said his actions were “completely out of character”. While he didn’t claim his intoxication was a defence, he did say it could have been a reason why.
The barrister responded: “He should not have got himself into that state”.
Judge Mairs rejected a plea for the sentence to be suspended and said: “You were in your 40s and she was an 18-year-old girl. This was not committed whilst you were on police duties but it was committed in the company of other police officers.”
He added that Hinchcliffe’s actions were “scarcely credible in the light of that background” and what he did “went far beyond jokes and banter”.
He will be added to the sex offenders register for 10 years.
