Cop guilty of groping.
Byline: AIDAN McGURRANA POLICE sergeant was yesterday found guilty of groping a young woman chef and telling her: "You've got a lovely bum."
Sgt Nicholas Banks, 49, ran his hand over the cook's backside in a police HQ canteen, a jury heard.
The father-of-two had gone to the canteen after it had closed and got a drink from a machine, which the woman offered to top up with milk.
The victim in her 20s told the court she asked him to stop fondling her but he called her "darling", groped her a second time, said "Thanks, gorgeous" and left. She said: "I felt disgusted, shocked and sick."
Banks, who is married, denied touching the chef's at Essex police HQ in Chelmsford and gave a different version of events.
A jury found him guilty of indecent assault. He was fined pounds 1,000. The victim was awarded pounds 1,000 damages.
Judge John Farnworth said: "I need hardly say the shame that brings not just upon yourself but upon your colleagues. Your police career has been thrown away."
Norwich Crown Court heard Banks was quitting the force after 20 years and would otherwise be dismissed.
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| Publication: | The Mirror (London, England) |
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| Date: | Sep 11, 2001 |
| Words: | 195 |
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