Chief inspector and female sergeant guilty of misconduct after affair

Married chief inspector, 44, and junior female sergeant who had sex in a lay-by and used acronyms to hide their explicit emails during 18-month affair are found guilty of gross misconduct

• Chief Inspector Rob Leet, 44, and Sgt Sarah Porter, 38, guilty of misconduct 
• The pair exchanged 700 texts and sent each other ‘graphic and explicit’ emails 
• Father-of-four also accused of having sex with another woman known as Miss A

A married police chief and a junior female officer who met for sex while on duty during an 18 month affair have been found guilty of gross misconduct.

Father-of-four Chief Inspector Rob Leet, 44, had a fling with Sergeant Sarah Porter, 38, at work and misused Sussex Police systems to arrange their meetings.

The pair exchanged more than 700 texts and sent ‘graphic and explicit’ emails to each other during their affair, the disciplinary hearing in Lewes, East Sussex was told.

They tried to hide explicit sexual messages to one another by hiding text in emails and using acronyms.

Chief Inspector Leet (pictured), who had a 22-year career with Sussex Police, was today found guilty of gross misconduct

They also made elaborate plans to make time during their working day so they could meet up for sex in lay-bys and other remote locations.

Sergeant Porter, a traffic officer, and married mother of one, even failed to attend a fatal road accident because she was on the phone to her lover.

The chief inspector, a married father-of-four, was also accused of having sex with another woman known as Miss A.

Leet quit the force last month after 22 years’ service before he could face the allegations at a police disciplinary hearing, but both he and Porter denied having sex on duty between August 2015 and February 2017.

Porter, who has a daughter with her former husband, another police officer, admitted kissing but claimed it did not amount to sexual activity.

Leet had an 18-month fling with Sergeant Sarah Porter (pictured), 38, in which they were accused of pulling up in lay-bys and other remote locations while on duty to have sex

However, the disciplinary panel found the allegation was proved at the hearing today which Porter attended, and that her actions amounted to gross misconduct.

Four charges of gross misconduct were proven against Chief Inspector Leet and two charges of gross misconduct were found proven against Sergeant Porter. 

Porter looked visibly upset and dabbed her eyes as the disciplinary panel found against her. 

Chairwoman Victoria Goodfellow said: ‘That sexual activity was at least kissing and, on the balance of probabilities, more.’

The panel found the same allegation proved against Leet, who was also found to have taken advantage of a ‘potentially vulnerable’ victim of domestic abuse by having a sexual relationship with her.

He did not attend the hearing but had denied the accusations that he developed an inappropriate relationship with a victim of crime while he was on duty as a serving officer as well as the sexual relationship with Porter.

The hearing was told that Leet had an inappropriate relationship with the woman, referred to as Miss A, between November 2014 and January 2016 after they met at a domestic abuse action group he chaired as a district commander.

Amy Clarke, representing Sussex Police, said what began as a friendship developed into a ‘sexual relationship which went on for some time’.

The pair met up while he was on duty, including at Miss A’s home, and exchanged messages of an ‘explicit sexual nature’, the hearing was told.

Ms Clarke said: ‘Miss A is firmly of the belief that she was, in effect, taken advantage of by Mr Leet.

‘There is also a clear gulf in power there. It should have been abundantly clear to Mr Leet that there was a potential vulnerability there that should not have been exploited.’

Porter was also found to have failed to attend a fatal crash on July 3 2017 while she was uncontactable for 10 minutes.

Following the findings, Ms Clarke said both Leet and Porter should be dismissed.  

Stephen Chippeck, representing Porter, said his client had faced an ‘agonising’ wait for proceedings to go ahead since the allegations were made two-and-a-half years ago.

He said Porter, who has been in the police for 18 years, was allowed to return to work in December 2017 and submitted a letter to the panel written by Chief Inspector Andy Gooch.

‘I have found Police Sergeant Porter to be respectful and courteous throughout my own dealings with her,’ the letter said.

‘I have confidence in her ability and in her current performance.’

Mr Chippeck said Porter has to carry out the most ‘horrendous’ duties in the road traffic unit.

The hearing was told she received a certificate of congratulations and a humanitarian reward after ‘putting herself in harm’s way’ to rescue a man from the River Ouse, saving his life.

Mr Chippeck urged the panel to deal with Porter’s case in a ‘proportionate way’, adding: ‘Allow her to continue to do the job she both loves and is good at.’

The hearing continues. 

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