I got it wrong, PC tells misconduct hearing

A police officer accused of unwanted sexual conduct towards a colleague has admitted at a misconduct hearing that she "got it wrong" – but insisted her actions were intended to be "friendly and jovial".

Chenise Austin, 33, an Avon and Somerset Police officer based in Bath, allegedly pinched her colleague's bottom and exposed her underwear while at work.

On the second day of the hearing in Portishead on Tuesday, Austin said she had believed her actions were "in the bounds of our friendship".

But barrister Kevin Baumber, representing the constabulary, told Austin the female PC was "a play thing for you to get a bit of a thrill and titillation from". The hearing continues.

In total, Austin is accused of unwanted sexual conduct on four occasions during work hours at a police station in 2023.

This includes incidents in which she allegedly tried to kiss her co-worker, a straight married woman known only as Miss A, and rested her face against her neck.

Austin, who is in a long-term same-sex relationship, fought back tears as she gave evidence on Tuesday, saying she had always been tactile, with some people more than others.

She insisted that none of the four alleged incidents were romantic or sexual in nature and that she and Miss A were close friends.

Baumber said Austin should have picked up on clear signs from Miss A that she was not consenting and was distressed by the actions, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

"Pinching Miss A's bottom was an opportunistic moment for your own gratification," he told Austin during cross-examination.

Austin replied: "I didn't flirt with her – she was not a toy or a play thing, she's a human being.

"It was a work friendship. My actions were friendly and jovial, and not in any way to make someone feel degraded, humiliated or oppressed."

She added: "I recognise I got it wrong but I didn't breach the standards [of professional behaviour]."

Austin continued: "If the officer had said at any point that I was being over-familiar or my actions were unwanted, I would have stopped in a heartbeat.

"I am not blaming her in any way, shape or form. The actions were on me... I believed it was OK at the time – obviously it wasn't."

The officer said she could not remember three of the four alleged incidents but did not dispute that Miss A had given an account she believed to be truthful.

Austin also said she did not pinch her colleague's bottom but had placed her hands on Miss A's back inside her coat in a jokey way to show how cold it was outside.

She said the allegation that she had caused Miss A's underwear "to be exposed", by pulling the cords of her jogging bottoms, "could have happened" but that it would have been in jest so the toggle snapped back.

The action would not have involved intent to expose her underwear, Austin said.

She denied trying to kiss Miss A but said she may have inadvertently kissed her hand due to losing balance while leaning over her as she lay on a sofa.

Austin, who played football for West Ham, Cheltenham Town, Swindon Town and Coventry United, denies any wrongdoing, misconduct or gross misconduct.

The hearing is expected to conclude on Thursday.

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