A detective sergeant has been sacked after lying that a sexual assault victim no longer wanted their ordeal investigated.

Sussex Police DS Karen Young prematurely closed the sexual assault investigation in 2021 after claiming that the victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, no longer supported the operation.

A disciplinary hearing found that DS Young had lied about the victim withdrawing support and had dishonestly recorded this on her investigation log as the reason for discontinuance.

DS Young, 43, was fired without notice.

Detective Superintendent Andy Wolstenholme, deputy head of Professional Standards, said: “Victims of crime are always at the heart of our investigations, and we aim to provide the very best service.

“We are sorry that we did not do so on this occasion; we have reopened the investigation and will continue to support the victim until the conclusion of the case.

"Police officers must behave in a manner that does not discredit the police service or undermine public confidence.

“The actions of this officer on this occasion were not in line with the values and standards that we expect, lacking integrity and compromising the trust of the public whom we serve.”

The disciplinary hearing concluded that DS Young, based in West Sussex, breached standards of professional behaviour in relation to her duties and responsibilities as well as her honesty and integrity.