Channel 4 - To Catch A Copper

[NameChangeAsICouldBeOverReacting]

Thoughts?

I was luckily able to watch this during work due to my job and it absolutely SHOCKED me to my core and really affected me.

And the jury who decided Cocking was innocent was just as bad, too. not sure that is fair. We weren't offered the same evidence as given in court, or lack thereof, and his barrister probably discredited the woman's statements and background, especially given he time to bring a prosecution. Her word vs his. In a court of Law he would be innocent until proved otherwise, beyond reasonable doubt, whereas the threshold for a disciplinary would be lower, Being early retired and entitled to his full pension sticks in the throat though.

I agree with @londonmummy1966 on this one. This was a cry for attention and help from the Chief Constable who has clearly been bashing her head on walls with IOPC for years. She can't do something until there is uproar and the system gets changed. You can see she's upset and determined.

I am utterly disgusted by the footage. It's made feel me sick to my stomach 😞 stuff like this stays with me. I'll need something to take my mind off it before bed!

Such a shocking watch.

The reflective chat was a joke. I think we can all say we've been subject to much more robust feedback for lesser issues that don't come close to police gross misconduct.

The standards are on the floor.

That Cocking guy is deluded. His wife is quite frankly stupid. I'd be surprised if this was his first misconduct.

I can only assume the intention of the documentary is to tear the place apart, highlight the gross inequacies so some kind of reform happens. Given that the current anti corruption process is completely ineffective and corrupt.

There's a Panorama called Midwife (that I certainly can't stomach today after this), which I wouldn't recommend.

I'm sure we can we all agree that NHS mental health care and social services have have funding cut to the bone which has caused both of these programmes. Roll on election time.

Cockings defence was laughable

"Sorry your honour she just fell onto my penis and I couldn't get her off because of my PTSD, so give me my pension and I'll be off after 3 years on full pay for sitting at home - thank you very much "

As a cop watching this entire debacle I'm shocked . Ashamed . And embarrassed.

And the sad thing is this is all people are going to remember- never mind the thousands and thousands of us who aren't bent , who aren't corrupt, who aren't compassion less bell ends .

I've had reflective practice for way way way less than that ! I was just fodder for an inspector's promotion. I argued with a social
Worker . And for reflective practice for it . And my argument stood up . I know the law inside out . She was wrong . I was right . But the way I told her was deemed unprofessional.

Reflective practice my arse . For manhandling a vulnerable woman and taking the piss? And why the leg restraints? I've used them once in 17 bloody years with a patient who ended up in rampton ! I'm just aghast .

Absolutely shocking programme.

The woman who was on the bridge- the way she was being handled and restrained, the mask/bag thing they put around her face etc. She looked like someone who had been kidnapped and held hostage and I felt that the male officer was getting a kick out of that.

Agree with PPs that Cocking needs a lot more investigation. Wouldn’t be at all surprised, sadly, if there were countless more similar tales involving him. As for the victim not alleging rape- that doesn’t make any difference as to whether or not it was rape. The bare facts don’t reflect well on him: intoxicated woman offered a lift home by a sober man who is a police officer, so there is an imbalance of power. He drives her to a remote location and some sexual activity occurs. I don’t buy his PTSD/frozen in fear/unable to push her off explanation at all. And I also don’t understand his wife. The pictures of him smugly leaving the court made my blood run cold. I was amazed that neither of the cases he was accused in were rape trials- no one even mentioned rape at any point.

I think it was a female officer...voice did sound male though.

What I don't understand is that it is illegal for a serving on duty police officer to have sex with a member of the public. So he admitted he had sex with her (OK, whether he 'consented' or not 🙄.) And yet, he got away with it.
So is it illegal - or isn't it?

And yes, the reflective practice officer was almost bad as his hapless staff - trying to be all matey with them and saying it was understandable that they were annoyed etc.

@commonground because he claimed he didn’t consent so she basically raped him 🙄🤬. Repulsive reptile 🤬

@Traitors2024 one male and one female I thought?

Women cannot rape a man in law . To rape you need a penis . Anything else is sexual assault by penetration. He's a sick fuck . He should have been found guilty and sacked .

I'm not 100% but I thought the main officer - the one that assaulted her with pepper spray - was conducting the search in the cell so should be female. I also thought the voice over said female officers when saying they both resigned but I'm not sure.

The whole show was awful that poor woman could have suffocated and the stupid wife, rubbing her husband's back like he was a victim saying he didn't do it.
Even the police investigators think he did it, she is one thick cow and he will do it again.
I can't believe any of them still have a job.

EXACTLY I dare not think what happens off camera

. . . And most of this only comes from camera or external complaints!

Why are colleagues not calling this stuff out daily . . .

Makes to fearful

I get the negative comments about Cocker's wife, but a man who uses his job to rape women is probably an abusive husband. There's a problem with DV perpetrators in the police.

That's big generalisation. Most of the male cops I know are lovely . I've only come across one in my career that I'd happily punch in the face with a hot iron . And he was misogynistic bully boy with delusions of grandeur. And yes I did report him . For bullying and being a dick generally as did others .

I thought about that too @TooBigForMyBoots.

@Traitors2024 Ah, I thought it might be one male and one female but I think the voices were maybe disguised too so hard to tell.

I think the mental health lady on the bridge was attended by one male and one female .

There is a problem with DV perpetrators in every occupation. HTH.

https://midsomernorton.nub.news/news/local-news/panel-publishes-reasons-for-clearing-ex-police-sergeant-lee-cocking-of-misconduct-148317-merged

Here is the justification for Cocking's acquittal, including this unbelievable gem (I've bolded)...

Bearing in mind all that we know of Ms A's conduct earlier in the evening and Mr Cocking's mental health and his own conduct earlier that evening in terms of his dealings with Ms A which show no sign of attraction, we find that his version is more likely to be true than the suggestion that the sex between them was consensual."

Oh dear god . So they accept she leapt on his soft todger and thumbed it in ?

I'm sorry but .
She was drunk . He wasn't . If you ferry a drunk person home you have a duty of care !

Most of the DV perpetrators I've known were "lovely". They still abused their wives and partners. Ditto child abusers.

Just because someone is lovely to their friends, colleagues and neighbours, doesn't mean they're not abusive within their families. I'm a bit that police officers here don't know that.

Even if the trial
Found him not guilty the misconduct - gross misconduct- was obvious.
PTSD isn't a defence .
I was diagnosed with it - I had counselling and got back to work and somehow I managed not to assault or rape anyone.
There is no rhyme or reason to this - I've seen excellent officer's careers tarnished with false accusations that were provable- and yet he walks Scott free with his pension ?