A Greater Manchester Police sergeant has been demoted to constable after a disciplinary hearing found him guilty of gross misconduct for making a series of vile and sexualised comments to junior female colleagues during a boozy night out. The incident, which has raised concerns about conduct within the force that polices Oldham, saw Gareth Higginbottom escape the sack after showing what the panel described as 'genuine remorse'.

The hearing revealed that Higginbottom, then a PC, had a 'consensual sexual encounter' with a colleague, referred to as PC A, in May 2023, just before his promotion to sergeant. He asked her to keep it quiet as he would become her boss, which she agreed to, citing awkwardness. Months later, during a work social event on August 30, 2023, PC A asked if he had disclosed their encounter. Higginbottom responded: "Why would I tell someone that I slept with someone and then they f***ed me off the next day?"

Later that evening, when PC A decided to go home instead of visiting McDonald's, Higginbottom allegedly asked: "Why don't you come back to my house and I will drop you home tomorrow?" She declined. The next morning, she found a string of messages from him on iMessage, WhatsApp, Instagram, and Facebook. One message, sent at 1:50am, read: "Slagggggg. Upset because what you wanted went home. Can’t be arsed with you mate. Feel like such a f***ing mug, wanting to make amends so you can crack on with other people. Mithered about what other supervision thing, only yourself to blame. You’re actually angin mate. Don’t rely, can’t be dealing with skets."

The tribunal heard that 'angin' and 'skets' are slang terms for people who are ugly and promiscuous, respectively. The conduct was described as 'serious, deliberate and targeted', with the panel noting Higginbottom's abuse of PC A was 'malign'.

During the same night out, Higginbottom targeted another female officer, PC B, after she admitted kissing a colleague while in a relationship. He made vile sexual remarks about what two officers would do to her and repeatedly referenced this throughout the evening. When she dismissed it as 'banter', the panel found he told her: "Don't worry PC B I'd f*** you." PC B reported the comment to a colleague, who challenged Higginbottom, leading to an apology.

A separate incident on March 7, 2024, involved a third female officer, PC C. She was approached by a group of men who said Higginbottom had told them she was 'not the type of girl to go home with them and f*** them'. PC C described the comments as 'highly inappropriate and unsolicited', though she did not respond at the time.

The disciplinary panel, chaired by Assistant Chief Officer Jonathan Roy, ruled that Higginbottom had 'failed to act as a role model' as a sergeant. Despite finding him guilty of gross misconduct, they decided against dismissal, citing his 'genuine remorse' and rating the harm as 'medium' rather than 'high'. Instead, he was demoted back to constable with immediate effect.

For Oldham residents, this case highlights ongoing issues around conduct within Greater Manchester Police, which serves the borough. Local community leaders have stressed the importance of maintaining public trust, particularly in light of such behaviour from those in supervisory roles. The force has stated that it expects high standards from all officers and that this outcome reflects a commitment to accountability, while also considering individual circumstances.