A Greater Manchester Police officer has been cleared of allegations that he sexually harassed female colleagues, after a disciplinary panel found the evidence against him was 'not credible' or 'vague'. The case, which has been described as 'vindictive' by the officer involved, has implications for trust in policing across Oldham and the wider region, as frontline officers face increased scrutiny.

The constable, referred to only as Officer X in the published judgment, joined GMP in 2018 and served as a response officer handling emergency calls. Following a series of distressing incidents, including the death of an infant to whom he had given CPR, he was reposted to a station in south Manchester in 2024. He told the hearing he encountered a 'toxic' environment there, where a female sergeant pursued a 'vendetta' against him and 'recruited' a colleague to 'tarnish my reputation'. The officer, a father and former personal trainer, faced two allegations from female colleagues: a civilian worker (Person A) and a police officer (Officer B).

The accusations included claims that he asked Person A if she enjoyed one night stands, and told her he liked having sex in hotels. Officer B alleged he made comments such as 'I want to be touched' after she accidentally brushed his leg in a patrol car, and said her glasses made him 'hot under the collar'. She also claimed he showed her a picture of a flat and said: 'That would be your side of the bed and that bedside table will be yours.' Officer X denied the allegations, stating that his comments were 'adult conversations' and jokes during a low point in his career. He told the panel: 'I am not a predator, and I am not any form of danger to any women. I am a kind man who just wants to be happy at work and do the job I have given my life to.'

The panel dismissed the allegations, noting that Person A's evidence was not 'credible' and Officer B's was 'vague'. If proven, the officer could have faced dismissal. One colleague, PC Brazier, described Officer X as 'a Jack the lad', but the panel found no basis for the harassment claims. The officer's defence highlighted a 'vindictive' campaign against him, with the sergeant referring to him as a 'massive misogynist' in text messages. For Oldham residents, this case underscores the challenges in balancing accountability with fairness for officers serving communities across Greater Manchester.