A FORMER detective who sent photographs of his penis to women while on duty showed a “blatant disregard” for his job, a panel has found.

Damien Cotgreave, 45, would have been sacked had he not already resigned from Sussex Police, a misconduct panel ruled.

The drugs expect sent streams of messages while he was meant to be focused on protecting the public - including asking a teenage girl "what do you like for fun".

He also visited the home of one woman despite having no policing purpose for being there, the hearing in Lewes was told.

Panel chair Nicola Talbot-Hadley said: “The pattern of conduct of this officer whilst on duty showed a blatant disregard for his role as a professional serving the public.”

Mr Cotgreave, who joined the police in 2013, faced more than a dozen allegations - all but one taking place while he was on duty.

Bringing the allegations, Louise Ravenscroft said the conduct was “distracting Mr Cotgreave from his duties”. 

 

She said: “The communications are either sexual in nature, which included the sending of sexualised images or videos, or the communications are inappropriate in sheer volume.”

READ MORE: Ex-detective accused of sending explicit pictures to women while on duty

One allegation involved Mr Cotgreave exchanging messages with a 19-year-old woman.

The hearing at Sussex Police HQ was told that the messages took on a “sexual nature” when he asked her “what do you like for fun”.

On one occasion in February last year, the officer accepted he attended the address of a woman despite having no policing purpose.

The visit, which took place while he was on duty, amounted to a two-hour absence from his post, the panel heard.

Ms Ravenscroft said: “He is clearly visiting her for his own personal reasons to advance the relationship as opposed to doing his work.”

Mr Cotgreave resigned his post in October 2020.

He declined to appear before a disciplinary panel at Sussex Police HQ on Monday which went ahead in his absence.

Of the allegations against him, 18 were found proven.