On-duty police officer missed 999 call because he was 'having sex with his ex-girlfriend', misconduct hearing told

A police officer missed an emergency 999 call on his radio because he was having sex with his former partner, a hearing was told.

PC Steven Austin had allegedly visited his ex's house in the middle of the day despite being on duty.

The pair had sex shortly after lunch and the officer left the house after around an hour and a half.

But he missed a Grade 1 emergency call on his radio in which there could have been a danger to life.

The emergency call concerned an incident involving a man being punched in the head four times.

The victim was then actively pursuing his attacker and the incident required an immediate police response.

PC Austin faced a disciplinary panel today to answer allegations relating to breaches of the Standards of Professional Behaviour.

It was alleged that he attended a private property while on duty for about one hour and thirty two minutes with no policing purpose and engaged in sexual relations with a woman there; and failed to respond to a Grade 1 call while at the property.

It was further alleged that the conduct of PC Austin, if proven, amounts to gross misconduct and is so serious as to justify dismissal.

The bearded officer, who serves with Sussex Police in Eastbourne, denies the allegations.

The incident is said to have happened on November 23 2021 when PC Austin was on duty.

The panel was told he contacted his former partner - Miss X - and invited himself round to her house , arriving at around 1.30pm.

The pair, who have a child together, then had sex before he eventually left the house at 14.43pm.

The hearing was told the pair had been in a 'long-standing relationship' together but had split up some time before. PC Austin had then embarked on another relationship with a female police officer.

Miss X allegedly confessed to her present partner - Mr Y - about having sex with PC Austin and also contacted his new girlfriend - known as PC B.

The hearing was told an argument erupted at a theatre during Jimmy Carr concert after Miss X saw PC Austin with PC B .

She believed PC Austin had ended his relationship with PC B and was furious when she spotted them together.

A complaint was eventually lodged with Sussex Police by a friend of Miss X to whom she had confided.

Her claims were backed by Miss X's own boyfriend - Mr Y - who had a 45-minute call with PC Austin in which the officer allegedly confessed to having sex with his former partner.

An investigation was launched by Sussex Police who visited Miss X at her home to interview her.

During two interviews on December 2 and December 8 she claimed she had sex with PC Austin at her house.

She also told the officers the police officer had failed to respond to a call on his radio because they were having sex at the time.

Doorbell footage and phone mapping showed PC Austin at Miss X's home, but he claimed he was only there for 13 minutes.

However the panel was told Miss X suffered from serious mental health issues, including severe depression, and had since retracted her claims about her former partner. 

She also refused to attend the disciplinary hearing citing her frail mental health as a reason.

Eloise Emanuel, lawyer for PC Austin said his former partner later retracted her claims because they were untrue.

She said Miss X made the claims because she was 'hurt and angry' after PC Austin had turned down her invitation to rekindle their relationship.

Ms Emanuel said the retraction was made because there had been no intimacy between the pair on November 23 and she had 'lied' and she had been motivated 'by anger' and a desire to 'hurt Steve as much as possible.'

However the hearing was also told that Miss X claimed she had thought better of pursuing the claims as she didn't want her former officer to lose his job as a result.

The disciplinary panel have been asked to dismiss her evidence on that basis and have retired until Wednesday to consider whether to allow the application.