Ben Poole

Ben Poole, a 25-year-old police officer based in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, has been found guilty of two counts of sexual assault following an incident at a nightclub in Norwich. The offences occurred in October 2022 during a night out celebrating a colleague's birthday at Bar and Beyond on Prince of Wales Road. Poole, who had joined the police force as a lifelong dream after previous roles as a postman and prison officer, was on trial at Ipswich Crown Court this week on three charges of sexual assault involving two women and one man.

The jury acquitted Poole of one charge against a woman but convicted him on the remaining two counts. Prosecutors described how Poole, heavily intoxicated, grabbed one woman's breasts and rubbed them in a circular motion while dancing closely to her. He then approached a man and grabbed his penis, before grabbing another woman's vagina. Poole denied the allegations, claiming he would never intentionally touch anyone sexually or risk his cherished career. He described a 'light switch' moment during the evening after which he remembered nothing until being helped into a car after being asked to leave by security staff. Poole suggested his drinks might have been spiked, but the prosecution countered that he was one of the more enthusiastic drinkers in the group of Norfolk officers, consuming not only his own drinks but also 'sweeping up' those of others, becoming 'intoxicated beyond knowing what he was doing'.

At the time of the incident, Poole was an active officer but was suspended from duty in 2023 when the allegations surfaced. An internal misconduct process was paused pending the criminal investigation and trial to avoid prejudicing proceedings. Following the guilty verdicts, Chief Constable Paul Sanford of Norfolk Constabulary expressed his outrage, stating: 'I am absolutely appalled by Poole’s behaviour, which is both deeply concerning and distressing for his victims who had been forced to relive their experiences. It is testament to their courage in speaking up that we have been able to bring Poole to account and, hopefully, seek justice on their behalf.' Sanford emphasised the force's commitment to standards, adding: 'The public rightly expects officers to uphold the law when on and off duty and we will always remove officers who fall short of our standards. Any form of sexual assault is totally unacceptable, and we will always take action against any offender. This type of behaviour is wholly reprehensible and has no place in society or policing.'

The case was heard at Ipswich Crown Court, with the trial concluding this week. A sentencing date has been set for Friday, 29 August 2024. Poole showed no visible reaction as the verdicts were read out, looking at the ground throughout.