Domestic abuse victim says police authorities failed to win justice for vulnerable women abused and stalked by ex-Warwickshire officer Paul Whitehurst

A VICTIM of convicted abuser and former Warwickshire Police officer Paul Whitehurst is furious that authorities missed opportunities to sack him and strip him of his state-funded pension.

However both the police and the crime commissioner’s office have pointed to the legal complexities of the case to explain obstacles and delays.

Young mum Charlotte Smith, 30, from Warwickshire, is one of three women who made domestic abuse complaints against Whitehurst.

Miss Smith was harassed and stalked by former Det Sgt Whitehurst, 54, for two-and-a-half years while he worked in the anti-corruption and professional standards department. He first encountered Miss Smith when she was a young adult and a victim of grooming. A few years later they embarked upon a brief relationship.

Despite Miss Smith logging numerous reports with Warwickshire Police about Whitehurst’s behaviour after the relationship ended, and Ring camera footage showing the officer making 30 unwanted visits to her front door, Warwickshire Police decided there was not enough evidence to charge him.

However, a case put together by Cheshire Police saw Whitehurst jailed for 18 weeks in July 2024 after he pleaded guilty to four counts of assault against a former partner, a woman from Nantwich.

Whitehurst, who spent 21 years with Warwickshire Police, was ordered not to contact her or her family directly, via social media or a third party, but 16 days later searched for her online. Following a trial at Mold Magistrates’ Court Whitehurst will be sentenced tomorrow (Friday, 16th May).

Warwickshire Police held a gross misconduct hearing into Whitehurst’s behaviour in May 2024 which found he would have been dismissed had he not retired a month earlier.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has since investigated Ms Smith’s complaints.

The police watchdog advised Warwickshire Police that the force should hold a further four investigations into Whitehurst for committing gross misconduct during his time as an officer.

Speaking this week, Miss Smith told the Herald of her exasperation over what she sees as the failure of the Warwickshire force and the police and crime commissioner, Philip Seccombe, to effectively pursue justice for Whitehurst’s victims.

“Despite the serious nature of these offences, Warwickshire Police allowed Whitehurst to retire rather than proceed with the accelerated misconduct process, which would have led to his dismissal,” said Miss Smith. “This failure in accountability cannot be understated.”

Even though it is unclear if Whitehurst could legally be stripped of his pension – as he would have to be convicted of a criminal offence directly in connection with his service – Miss Smith says she is dismayed it has not been pursued by Mr Seccombe. He is responsible for enacting such a forfeiture were he to get a recommendation from the head of the police standards department, where Whitehurst previously worked, to start the process.

In addition there has been no further news of the gross misconduct cases outstanding against Whitehurst.

She added: “Given the serious nature of Whitehurst’s actions and the growing loss of public trust in Warwickshire Police, the continued silence on these matters is deeply troubling. The ongoing delays also send a devastating message to victims of police-perpetrated abuse.”

After the Herald put Miss Smith’s complaints to Warwickshire Police, a spokesperson said: “An investigation was conducted by IOPC which recommended that further misconduct hearings should be arranged by the force in relation to Paul Whitehurst. We do not, as yet, have any hearing dates set. We will publish dates five days in advance, as per regulations.”

They added: “Paul Whitehurst is no longer a Warwickshire Police officer and we would not comment on details relating to his pension forfeiture as this is a process completed by the PCC office if recommended by the head of professional standards department. Certain requirements need to be met for this to take place.”

Seeking to offer reassurances that he remains steadfast on maintaining the integrity of the force, Mr Seccombe told the Herald: “Ensuring high standards of conduct across policing to build the trust and confidence of the community are key components of my plan to deliver a safer Warwickshire for all. Within this I want to ensure that Warwickshire Police has transparency and accountability in handling misconduct investigations and promotes a culture of integrity across the force.

“It is in the interests of everyone that the response to misconduct is fair, transparent and robust and I will continue to press all organisations involved to make improvements that help to build the confidence of the public.

“While it would be inappropriate to comment on ongoing misconduct cases, it is important to clarify the role my office plays in pension forfeitures. The circumstances under which a police pension can be forfeited are set out in legislation. These limit the eligibility to offences committed by individuals in connection with their service as a member of a police force. It is therefore not possible to make an application for forfeiture to the Home Secretary for every case where a pension scheme member has committed a criminal offence.

“We do keep all misconduct matters under review and will always consider making a pension forfeiture application where a conviction has been secured for offences as specified by the legislation.”