Inspector Simon Barden faced a number of allegations against him put forward by his ex-girlfriend, Gemma Considine, and former best friend, Jon Haffenden.
These included threatening to fill Ms Considine’s daughter’s car with cocaine and claiming Ms Considine’s home was being targeted by the IRA because of wider family links to the organisation.
Insp Barden was in a relationship with Ms Considine from 2018 to 2022, before they broke up in September 2022 and Ms Considine entered a relationship with Mr Haffenden “shortly after”.
The panel at Sussex Police headquarters in Lewes heard that Insp Barden “suspected an affair” between them before he had broken up with Ms Considine.
The panel found that the majority of the allegations put forward by Ms Considine, Mr Haffenden and Ms Considine’s daughter were not proven.
But he was found to have committed gross misconduct due to a lack of integrity and waste of police resources in relation to the IRA claim and was given a final written warning.
Chairman Mr Humpherson said the panel did not believe the witnesses were “entirely truthful” in their submissions.
“This has consumed my life for two years”
Insp Barden said: “Going through this has consumed my life for two years.
“It has taken over my life.
“During that time, I have still turned up to work every day. I held my head high.
“I have acted with professionalism and integrity during that period even though I knew I was under investigation.
“If you allow me to return to my employment I can assure you I understand the [importance] of information.
“I can assure you it will be at the forefront of my mind.
“I will also share that knowledge with my colleagues, my friends and people that look to me for leadership.
“That is something I will take with me to the end of my career.
“I will take this with me forever.”
Colin Banham, counsel for Insp Barden, stated that Insp Barden was an officer with “integrity” who had had an “exemplary career”.
READ MORE: Sussex Police detective offered to perform sex acts on colleagues
In February 2022, an anonymous phone call was made to Insp Barden’s work line asking to leave a message while he was off duty.
When this was raised with Insp Barden by another police inspector, the officer disclosed that Ms Considine’s son’s paternal grandfather had links to the IRA, which was not proven.
He told the inspector that he feared the call was related to the IRA, triggering a police investigation involving counter terrorism officers.
The investigation found there were no links between the call and the IRA.
The panel said that Insp Barden had wasted police time, resources and energy by not disclosing that it was a tenuous or uncertain link to the IRA and instead relaying an “uncorroborated hearsay account”.
It found this amounted to lack of integrity and gross misconduct. Insp Barden was given a final written warning lasting four years.
At the end of the hearing, Mr Humpherson said: “We accept the proceedings weighed heavily on you but we do not see you as blameless in this situation.”
He added that the panel was not convinced that he “showed any remorse”.
James Berry, counsel on behalf of chief constable Jo Shiner, said Insp Barden was “adamant that he had done nothing wrong”.
However, the panel did find that Insp Barden had genuinely believed Ms Considine and her family were in danger.
Insp Barden said that Ms Considine had discussed an IRA link in her wider family with him during their relationship, which Ms Considine denies.
Cocaine threats not proven
The misconduct panel also heard that while Ms Considine was in a relationship with Insp Barden, her daughter, Chloe Rose, was offered a job at a gym.
Insp Barden was unhappy with this as he said members of the gym were “known to the police” for drug-related issues.
The witnesses alleged that this led him to say he would frame her with cocaine if she took the job. However, the panel ruled this was not proven.
Insp Barden had told the panel that he felt himself to be a “father figure” to Chloe Rose during the course of his relationship with Ms Considine and denied threatening to plant drugs in her car.
Ms Considine allegedly said she was “going to destroy” Insp Barden when their relationship broke down in 2022, although she said she “did not recall” saying this.
During the hearing, Colin Banham, counsel for Insp Barden, said the allegations against the inspector were “malicious” and “made up” and that Ms Considine was “controlling” during her relationship with him between 2018 and 2022.
Ms Considine said she had made the complaint as she was “standing up for herself” which is something she “should have done a long time ago”.
Pattern of “extramarital affairs” at cricket club
The chairman of the panel noted that there was a pattern of “extramarital affairs” and “drinking” at Bexhill Cricket Club, of which Insp Barden, Gemma Considine, Chloe Rose Considine and Mr Haffenden all attended.
Mr Haffenden claimed Insp Barden formed a “clique” against him at the club.
Months of tension came to a head on May 28, 2023, when Mr Haffenden “stormed” into the clubhouse “fuming” and called it a “s*** club”.
Wanting to talk to the captain, he said he had “enough of what was going on” and “couldn’t see any other way this stops unless I speak to police”, Mr Banham claimed.
Mr Haffenden then reported the allegations to the Independent Office for Police Conduct on May 31 having agreed with Ms Considine to do so, the panel heard.
Detective Superintendent Andy Wolstenholme, deputy head of professional standards said: “The actions of this officer on this occasion were not in line with the values and standards that we expect, lacking honesty and integrity.
“The report that Inspector Barden made prompted a response from his colleagues in good faith, potentially diverting resources away from other public duties.”
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