Complaints procedure
Complain about the CNCs service, staff or police officers and find out about misconduct hearings and criminal cases involving CNC employees
Complain about the CNC’s service or staff
Fill in a and email it to our Professional Standards Department or send it to:
Professional Standards Department
Civil Nuclear Constabulary
Culham Campus
Abingdon
Oxfordshire
OX14 3DB
Complain about a police officer in the CNC
If you want to make a complaint about a police officer in the CNC you can:
- go to the police unit on site to make your complaint
- contact the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) who will forward your complaint to the right police service
- fill in a
Further help with making a complaint
Visit your local Citizens Advice Bureau who will tell you if you’ve got grounds for a complaint. They can also help you to make the complaint.
Your solicitor or local law centre can advise you or help you make a complaint.
If your complaint might be about a racial incident, you can contact the Equality and Human Rights Commission.
Criminal cases involving CNC employees
Serving officer sentenced
A serving CNC police officer has been sentenced at Carlisle’s Rickergate Magistrates’ Court after pleading guilty on 22 April to two offences of being in charge of a dog that injured two people while dangerously out of control.
On 13 May 2024, PC Andrew Harkison was sentenced to a four month sentence for the first incident and six months for the second, suspended for two years. He must also perform 240 hours of unpaid work in the community, pay £85 costs and a £187 victim surcharge and he was banned from owning or controlling a dog for five years.
PC Harkison is currently suspended from duty pending a gross misconduct investigation, which could not progress until criminal proceedings had been concluded. Details of any resulting misconduct hearing or outcome will be placed on this website.
Former officer imprisoned
A former CNC police officer has been sentenced to three years in prison, after being found guilty on 7 July of assaulting a woman on 26 September 2020.
Jason Corley, aged 42, of Oaklands in Framingham Earl, Norfolk, was a serving police constable with the CNC based at Sizewell when the offence took place. He resigned from the Constabulary shortly after his arrest.
Read more about the story on the Norfolk Police website
Misconduct hearings
The Civil Nuclear Constabulary will publish information about public misconduct or accelerated proceedings here. Both procedures deal with allegations of gross misconduct.
All misconduct or accelerated proceedings should be held in public to improve transparency and accountability and to ensure public confidence. There may be circumstances when it will be necessary and appropriate for all or parts of the proceedings to be held in private. In such cases notice giving reasons will be provided to the public.
Misconduct hearings are heard by a panel of three, most typically a legally qualified Chair, assisted by an officer of superintendent rank and an independent lay-person. The facts will be heard by the panel, often with the assistance of live witnesses to enable the panel to make a determination.
Accelerated proceedings are heard by the Chief Constable, who will consider the evidence available from reports and documentary evidence. Witnesses do not normally attend accelerated proceedings.
In cases held under either process, the possible outcomes and sanctions available are:
- misconduct not found
- no further action
- refer to reflective practice review process
- written warning (valid for 18 months)
- final written warning (two years)
- extension of final written warning (up to five years)
- reduction in rank
- dismissal without notice
The public will be given a minimum of five working days notice of any forthcoming misconduct or accelerated proceedings.
Please note the following:
- anyone not preregistered will not be admitted
- anyone attending must arrive a minimum of one hour of the stated time with appropriate formal photographic identification
- audio and video recordings are not permitted
- the use of live, text based communications for the purpose of simultaneous reporting will only be permitted if the person chairing or conducting proceedings is satisfied that it does not interfere with the orderly conduct of the proceedings
- any behaviour deemed to interfere or likely to interfere with proceedings will lead to exclusion from the hearing
- animals, with the exclusion of guide/assistance dogs are not permitted in the hearing room
- there is limited visitor parking available
- catering facilities are available at the individual’s expense
Notice of Outcome
Former officers concerned: Adam Rothery, Andrew Smith, Fraser Dove, Ryan Hancock and Stephen Moss.
Date of hearing: 14 and 15 October 2024.
Outcome Summary
The allegations were as follows:
- Between 2019 and 2021 the former officers were members of a WhatsApp group known as ‘Band of Brothers’.
- That the WhatsApp group was a forum for sharing inappropriate material of a discriminatory nature on the grounds of sex and/or disability and/or race and/or religion which the former officers contributed to and/or failed to challenge or report the material.
It was alleged that their conduct amounted to a breach of the Standards of Professional Behaviour, in respect of:
- Discreditable Conduct, in that the former officers behaved in a manner which discredits the police service and / or undermines public confidence in it.
- Equality and Diversity, in that the former police officers did not act with fairness and impartiality. They do not discriminate unlawfully or unfairly.
- Authority, Respect and Courtesy in that the former police officers did not act with self-control and tolerance, treating members of the public and colleagues with respect and courtesy.
- Challenging and Reporting Improper Conduct, in that the former officers did not report, challenge or take action against the conduct of colleagues which had fallen below the Standards of Professional Behaviour.
Decision
At the hearing the panel found the allegation proven as Gross Misconduct and findings were made that each former officer concerned would have been dismissed if they had not ceased to be a member of a police force.
CNC statement
Former CNC officers who shared and failed to challenge highly offensive and discriminatory WhatsApp messages have been found to have committed gross misconduct following a hearing held in front of a panel, led by an independent Legally Qualified Chair.
At the hearing the panel found the allegation proven as gross misconduct and findings were made that each former officer concerned would have been dismissed if they had not ceased to be a member of a police force.
Former PCs, Adam Rothery, Andrew Smith, Fraser Dove, Ryan Hancock, Stephen Moss and Benjamin Kirk, who had transferred to Avon and Somerset Police, were part of a WhatsApp group in which offensive and derogatory content was shared, including racist, misogynistic and ableist content. The messages were sent between June 2020 and February 2021. Following their discovery and referral to IOPC, the officers were suspended in September 2022.
The panel ruled the five former officers had breached the Standards of Professional Behaviour including Discreditable Conduct, Equality and Diversity, Authority, Respect and Courtesy and Challenging and Reporting Improper Behaviour.
Avon and Somerset held their own misconduct hearing for Mr Kirk separately.
Chief Constable Simon Chesterman said: “The behaviour of these former officers fell well short of the standards expected of CNC officers and staff. As soon as these grossly offensive messages were found, the CNC promptly notified the Independent Office for Police Conduct who began an investigation.
“The CNC fully accepts the findings of the misconduct tribunal; these former officers have no place in the police service.
“The only positive to come from this is that it demonstrates our determination to rid policing of this kind of behaviour and rebuild public trust. As I have always said, we will not tolerate misogynistic, racist, ableist or any sort of discriminatory behaviour. Those shown to have participated in this type of conduct cannot expect to remain as a member of the police service.
“Across CNC we are working hard to restore public trust and confidence in policing, encouraging our officers and staff to be upstanders and report discrimination, and we will continue to challenge any behaviour that falls short of our values and standards.”
Notice of Outcome
Officer concerned: PC Andrew Harkison
Date of Accelerated Misconduct Hearing: 6 August 2024
Outcome Summary
On 19th April 2024, PC Harkison pleaded guilty to two charges of being in charge of a dog which was dangerously out of control, contrary to section 3 of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991.
On 13th May 2024, PC Harkison received a suspended sentence of 10 months’ imprisonment with a requirement to carry out 240 hours of unpaid work, and was disqualified from having custody of a dog for a period of 5 years.
It was alleged that PC Harkison’s conduct amounted to a breach of the Standards of Professional Behaviour, in respect of Discreditable Conduct, in that PC Harkison behaved in a manner which discredited the police service and / or undermined public confidence in it. It was alleged that this conduct, if found proved, would amount to Gross Misconduct.
At the hearing, the chair, Chief Constable Simon Chesterman, found the allegations of Discreditable Conduct proven as Gross Misconduct.
Decision
PC Harkison was dismissed without notice.
View the