A police inspector from Oxford has been issued a final written warning after inappropriate comments to a female colleague.

A misconduct hearing carried out into the actions of Thames Valley Police inspector James Humphries has concluded that he was in breach of professional behaviour standards on two separate occasions.

The first was while conversing with the newly appointed female violence reduction coordinator on May 16 last year.

READ MORE: Former Oxford detective found guilty of gross misconduct

Charges brought against Humphries listed in the misconduct report include him saying to his new colleague, during a conversation about the Child Q report: “You could be menstruating right now and I wouldn’t know, would I?”

The report states he was charged for making a statement about missing children, saying that a “percentage of girls go missing from home or care because they are hormonal, going through puberty, getting their periods and having subsequent difficulties”.

According to the report, he went on to say, in respect of male puberty: “Boys get hairy and things get bigger,” or words to that effect.

When Humphries’ female colleague laughed nervously at his remark, the report states that he accused her of having a “dirty mind.”

While explaining different police departments to the female colleague, the report details that Humphries said: “If you were raped it would go to Force Crime.”

The second charge brought against Humphries relates to his conduct towards another female employee - who he had met on a number of occasions at work - on August 17 last year.

The report states that Humphries entered an office where the woman - called Ms A in the report - was seated with her back to the door.

She was on the telephone when he approached her from behind and “unexpectedly kissed her on the cheek”.

The act was without Ms A’s consent.

The hearing found Humphries to have been acting in gross misconduct, and on both charges in breach of standards of professional behaviour including authority, respect and courtesy, equality and diversity and discreditable conduct.

The case of Child Q, which received national notoriety, involved the strip search of a female child of secondary school age on suspicion that she was in possession of cannabis at a time when she was menstruating.

This was done without an appropriate adult present and without seeking parental consent.

Concerns were subsequently raised about whether sufficient regard had been paid to the child’s best interests and her safeguarding needs.

Humphries remarks about menstruation to the newly appointed violence reduction coordinator took place in a heated discussion between the two about whether the Child Q case amounted to sexual assault.

 

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This story was written by Matthew Norman, he joined the team in 2022 as a Facebook community reporter.

Matthew covers Bicester and focuses on finding stories from diverse communities.

Get in touch with him by emailing: Matthew.norman@newsquest.co.uk

Follow him on Twitter: @OxMailMattN1