Police officer 'propositioned woman for sex' on ASBO incident call-out

A police officer has been accused of trying to have sex and arrange a threesome with a woman he encountered while responding to an antisocial-behaviour incident.

PC Darren Booth began flirting with the woman, known as Miss A, and wanted to “meet up on a regular basis to have sex” before telling her that “if you could get someone else involved it would be even better”, a misconduct hearing was told.

The woman said his approach left her feeling “sick and confused”.

After he planned to meet her later, the woman tipped off police on the 101 number and officers turned up at her flat to escort him away from the property, the panel was told.

The misconduct panel, which opened on Monday, was told the alleged incident happened after PC Booth was called out to a report of antisocial behaviour in Castleford, West Yorkshire, in March 2019.

The hearing was told that PC Booth, who has been with West Yorkshire Police for 14 years, denies any inappropriate conduct and says he did not proposition Miss A.

The panel heard Miss A, 36, and her friend – referred to as Miss B – were habitual street drinkers and drug users.

PC Booth began asking about her ex-partners while his colleague interviewed Miss B, the hearing in Wakefield was told.

Miss A said this was “banter” to begin with, and he told her she “deserved better” before asking to meet up that night after his shift.

She said: “He basically said he wanted to meet up on a regular basis for sex and if you can get someone else involved it would be even better.”

She told the panel she agreed to meet with him so he could be caught, adding that a “copper should not be trying it on with me like that”.

“It’s just not normal, is it?”

They met in a club car park before going back to Miss A’s flat, where she said he made more inappropriate comments and asked for a kiss before officers arrived, the panel heard.

She said PC Booth told her he was married and had children.

In interview she said he told her: “I’m out of uniform now anyway so I’m not really doing anything wrong.”

The panel was told PC Booth said he had gone to her flat to gather intelligence on counterfeit cigarettes and wanted men.

Nicholas Walker, who represented PC Booth, said Miss A set the officer up. When he asked if she thought she would get money “from this”, Miss A said it never entered her head.

“I want him to be found out for what he is”.

She agreed she was an alcoholic with a criminal record stretching back 16 years, with 56 separate offences from 27 incidents including assaulting a police officer.

Claire Watson, for the West Yorkshire Police professional standards department, said Miss A was left with anxiety and feeling “shocked and disgusted”.

She said his behaviour “brought discredit on the police service”, and that PC Booth had not explained to the officers who arrived at Miss A’s flat why he was there and made no record of the meeting or any intelligence gathered.

PC Booth denies all the accusations against him and is expected to give evidence on Tuesday. The hearing continues.