Detective Sergeant Richard Mills has been permanently removed from Greater Manchester Police and banned from ever serving in law enforcement again after being convicted of sexually assaulting two colleagues.

The 18-month prison sentence handed down in December followed a jury’s guilty verdicts on two counts of sexual assault committed in 2016 and 2020. Both incidents involved Mills forcibly grabbing his female co-workers’ hands and making them touch his genitals over his clothing while stationed at GMP’s Oldham District and later at the Serious Crime Directorate in Nexus House.

The investigation began in 2016 when the first complaint emerged, but Mills returned to the spotlight in March 2023 after making sexually inappropriate comments within earshot of multiple colleagues. This prompted GMP’s Professional Standards Directorate to interview 37 officers and staff members, gathering substantial evidence that supported both the criminal prosecution and numerous additional breaches of police conduct standards.

Detective Superintendent David Jones, who led the Professional Standards investigation, condemned Mills’ systematic predatory behavior: “Mills sexually assaulted his colleagues, made inappropriate remarks of a sexual nature, and acted in a disgraceful manner. He abused his position in the force and the trust of his colleagues for his own perverse gratification.”

The accelerated misconduct hearing ensures Mills joins the police barred list, preventing him from holding any law enforcement position nationwide. GMP has offered specialist support to affected staff while emphasizing their commitment to maintaining professional standards and removing officers who compromise workplace safety.

---

Source: Read original article