Police officer under investigation for sexual harassment threatened to kill female colleague

A policeman under investigation for the sexual harassment of a colleague threatened to murder her and two other officers if they tried to arrest him, it has emerged.

PC James Goodchild, 30, threatened to stab three police officers if they came to his house and said he would die before going to prison.

Goodchild made the comments in a conversation with a sergeant who had phoned him to discuss an upcoming gross misconduct hearing.

This related to allegations of bullying and rape threats by Goodchild.

The details emerged after the Independent Office for Police Conduct investigated Charing Cross police station, where Goodchild worked.

Goodchild was found guilty of sending by public communication network an offensive, indecent, obscene or menacing message at a trial at Hendon Magistrates Court on 8 January, 2019.

He was fired by the Met police and handed a restraining order.

Prosecutor Malachy Pakenham said: “PS Whitley rang PC Goodchild in reference to a gross misconduct investigation that was being held in relation to the defendant.

“During the conversation the defendant made threats against police officers.

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“He said: 'I will kill them, I will murder them if I see them, I know where they live and what cars they drive. If they come to my home and arrest me they are going to get stabbed. I will not go to prison alive.'

“He was arrested and questioned about remarks he made to the sergeant. There was a prepared statement in response to what had been said.

“To the comment about 'I will kill them', he said: 'This is right but it’s without detail or context.'”

In a victim impact statement, the female officer said she no longer felt "safe" in her workplace.

Pakenham read out her victim impact statement: "Since receiving the threats I have been subjected to in my workplace I don’t feel safe, I feel severely anxious and have problems sleeping...

"All my family live in Wales... my family are fearful for my safety and want me to move back home before something happens to me.

“My colleagues keep their distance so not to be associated with me. They don’t want to seem to be involved, so it’s a lonely existence at work.

“I’m starting to think that the only way to feel truly safe is to leave my job so my location wouldn’t be known."

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Pakenham also read out a victim impact statement from a second officer.

He said: “I was concerned about this because his behaviour seemed to be escalating. My experience with James is that he’s very unpredictable.

“I feel anxious about her safety when she’s at home. The fact that I can’t protect her leaves me anxious.”