I met my future husband, a South Wales Police Officer in 2000. He was 15 years my senior. I was unaware that prior to him joining the police residents in the local community had reported their concerns to police about the risk he posed to young females. I was also unaware of the violence in his 2 previous relationships.
My relationship with him was psychologically and physically abusive. I was constantly left lists of tasks to do, accused of not locking doors, changing the settings on the heating, not cleaning correctly, moving the car seat, not answering the phone quick enough, etc, etc. He even told me on the one occasion I was breathing too loud. Failure to comply resulted in being screamed at, spat at, throttled and being nearly driven off the Severn Bridge. He regularly threatened to end his life and after he had calmed down it was always my fault saying I was ‘ditzy’.
After we separated I was subjected to being stalked and harassed. The public protection officer in my case was told at one point to stop taking reports from me and I was advised to complain to professional standards. Eventually he was warned for harassment after he followed me in a police vehicle. 3 other officers were in the vehicle with him. 2 of them lied to cover up for him but the female confirmed what had happened.
In [redacted for legal reasons] he made the news as he had been placed on the police barred list for his abuse of other females and the mishandling of drugs and tasers. I learned at this point that his harassment warning was hidden on his personnel file and not on the national police database. Effectively his abuse was hidden on his HR file and effectively his criminal record was clear.
Last week I learned that the young female mentioned in his police barring registration was actually a 15 year old girl. He had been grooming her. I feel physically sick learning about everything he did to her. I also learned that he went on to abuse more partners after me and he was clearly escalating as he got away with more and more.
Despite being on the police barred list he managed to obtain an SIA license and was pictured working in The University Hospital of Wales. His license gives him registration for CCTV as well as frontline work. The services had let him slip through the net again. As a past victim it was myself that had to then raise his past with the hospital concerned and safeguarding. This should never be the case? How did he pass the DBS checks. Quite simple really – all allegations made about police officers are protected and those doing the checks don’t have the permissions to access those protected files.
The system is absolutely shocking!! South Wales Police failed to investigate themselves after he groomed this 15 year old given there were at least 4 opportunities missed to put appropriate safeguards in place. I have now had to raise a complaint to get this looked at. Why I bother I do not know as they repeatedly cover up for their own.
Constabulary: South Wales Police
Timespan: 2000-2006
Did you report it to the police?: Yes
Do you want to revisit this with the police?: Yes
Your ethnicity: Prefer not to say
Have you experienced suicidality due to this?: Thoughts/feelings
Are you disabled as defined under the Equality Act 2010?: Yes
illustration by Danny Noble
