Detective Sergeant Richard Mills, 42, will serve 18 months in prison and spend the next decade on the sex offender registry after a Liverpool Crown Court judge sentenced him Friday for sexually assaulting two colleagues.

The Greater Manchester Police detective was convicted in December of forcefully touching a female police officer in 2016 while stationed at the Oldham district and sexually assaulting a female staff member in 2020 at the Crime Coordination Unit in Nexus House. A jury rejected Mills’ denials, finding him guilty on both counts after a two-week trial.

Mills, from Rochdale, had remained free on bail since his conviction but was taken into custody following Friday’s sentencing. The victims’ testimony proved crucial to securing convictions against the veteran officer who had abused his position of authority.

Detective Superintendent David Jones of GMP’s Professional Standards Directorate praised the victims’ courage, stating: “DS Mills gravely abused his position of trust and authority within the force when he assaulted his female colleagues for his own perverse gratification. It was through their brave disclosure that we built a strong prosecution case.” Jones confirmed Mills has been barred from policing and authorities will petition to strip him of his police pension. Gross misconduct proceedings will now commence following the conclusion of criminal proceedings.

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