Neil Wilby Media

A long-serving officer deployed with Durham Constabulary, PC Nicola Voke-Williams, faces the loss of her job following a conviction for assault – and the failure of a subsequent appeal at Teesside Crown Court – over an incident that took place in Spennymoor in February, 2022.

The force, in a notice posted on their website, give these details as to the allegations she faces at a misconduct hearing on 19th September, 2023 at Police HQ:

In February 2022, whilst a serving police constable and on duty, she assaulted a 15-year-old boy by striking him across the face, the incident being subsequently heard at Magistrates’ Court at which time she was found guilty of the offence of assault. These actions are deemed to have breached the Standards of Professional Behaviour relating to ‘Discreditable Conduct’. Namely, that a police officer will behave in a manner, whether on or off, duty which does not bring discredit to the police service or undermine public confidence in policing.

It is further alleged that these failings individually and/or cumulatively amount to Gross Misconduct.

PC Voke-Williams, whom has over 21 years of experience and, at one point in her career, reached the rank of acting sergeant, had attended an incident in Spennymoor town centre, after reports of a large group of youths arranging a fight with weapons and glass bottles.

Teesside Crown Court heard how she arrived at the scene with another female officer but their car started to roll with the handbrake off and the youths were reported to have laughed at them, with one, allegedly, shouting “useless”.

A short video clip was shown at the appeal hearing which showed PC Voke-Wiliams slapping the boy in the face with her left hand.  She claimed the boy was about to spit in her face and so, pre-emptively, struck him in self-defence.

However, the boy whom she assaulted told the court he had puckered his lips and blown her a kiss, but could not remember if he had moved his head towards her or not.

When summing up, the trial judge said PC Voke-Williams had attempted to deflect attention from her own conduct by repeatedly, and falsely, claiming the boy had assaulted her with his bike following the slap.

Only when she watched the video during police interview did she admit that was a false allegation.

Detective Chief Inspector Yvonne Dutson, from the force’s Professional Standards Department, said after the Crown Court appeal:

“This officer was suspended while an investigation was carried out and will now face misconduct proceedings.

“The public and Durham Constabulary quite rightly expect the highest of standards from our officers and staff at all times, and the actions of this officer fell short of those standards.”

DCI Dutson has been asked, via the force’s press office, why PC Voke-Williams does not face ‘Honesty and Integrity’ allegations at the misconduct hearing next week. The public will, rightly, be concerned that lying repeatedly about the incident appears to have no consequences for the officer.

The email to Durham Constabulary press office, carrying the request, was acknowledged promptly – and a substantive response is promised ‘in due course’.

Since 1st January, 2022, the force has held six misconduct hearings, one of the lowest numbers in the UK, and all have been held in public.

Details of the Legally Qualified Chair (LQC), or other chairperson whom will conduct the hearing next week, along with two other Panel members, have not been released.

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Page last updated: Saturday 15th September, 2023 at 07h25

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