A GWENT Police officer touched a colleague’s breast and asked her if he could sit on her lap during a night out, a disciplinary inquiry was told.

Former Detective Constable Mark Peploe resigned shortly before an accelerated misconduct hearing had convened in Cwmbran.

The ex-officer was off duty when he also stroked the woman’s leg during a Christmas “social function” with work colleagues in Cardiff on Wednesday, December 14, 2022.

He had behaved “in a sexualised and secretive manner” against the female police officer whose identity was anonymised, the inquiry heard.

Former DC Peploe, who did not attend the misconduct hearing, denied each allegation against him.

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He was not legally represented nor was he represented by a member of the Police Federation, the association which looks after the interests of rank and file officers.

Gwent Police’s Chief Constable Pam Kelly said she had studied CCTV capturing his actions.

She told the hearing: “The appropriate authority alleges that former DC Peploe inappropriately touched Witness A by placing his hand on her chest.

“Former DC Peploe made an inappropriate comment to Witness A, namely asking her, ‘Can I sit on your lap?’ and former DC Peploe inappropriately touched Witness A by placing his hand on her leg. 

“Witness A has confirmed that the behaviour of former DC Peploe was unwanted and unacceptable.”

Chief Constable Kelly concluded that all the allegations against him were proven and added of one of them: “The enhanced CCTV, which was really helpful, shows that former DC Peploe inappropriately touched Witness A by placing his hand on her leg. 

“The appropriate authority contends that former DC Peploe is behaving in a sexualised and secretive manner and I saw that he looks away when touching Witness A and tries not to draw attention to his behaviour. 

“This is most concerning. 

“I find there is support for this view in that the CCTV clearly shows that, at the relevant time, former DC Peploe is facing away from Witness A and is engaged in conversation with others, whilst he proceeds to stoke her leg.

“The enhanced CCTV also provides supportive evidence of Witness A’s stated discomfort as she is seen to move back in her chair.”

She found that former DC Peploe’s misconduct was so serious that he would have been “immediately dismissed had he not resigned”.