Police Interceptors star had sex with female colleague in car park

A police sergeant who appeared in Police Interceptors has been found guilty of gross misconduct after he had “risky” public sex with a probationary officer.

Ben Sutcliffe, who featured in the Channel 5 show over two series, also had sex with while stood down from night shift as a dog handler for Cleveland Police.

The temporary sergeant resigned from Cleveland Police in February and did not attend a disciplinary hearing on Wednesday, in Stockton, Teesside, chaired by Chief Constable Victoria Fuller.

After hearing evidence, she adjudicated that his behaviour amounted to gross misconduct and that if he was still a serving officer he would have been dismissed.

His conduct was “very serious” and he had displayed “dishonesty over an extended period of time”, the Chief Constable said.

Earlier, Ms Fuller outlined the background, saying Sutcliffe was in a supervisory role with the response team based in Stockton, and also a dog handler.

In June or July 2024, he began a relationship with a probationary officer named in the proceedings only as Pc A.

Sutcliffe repeatedly lied about their relationship when challenged by the force and told Pc A to do the same.

He also sent sexually explicit messages, including videos, while he was on duty to the point where it affected his ability to perform his job.

He was also found to have had sex with Pc A in public places, “knowing and intending there was a risk of being caught”.

Sutcliffe passed on confidential details of another officer’s arrest to Pc A without a proper policing purpose.

Detective Inspector Holly Hunter, of the force’s Professional Standards Department, said rumours of a relationship between Sutcliffe and Pc A were investigated in August 2025, and he denied it in interview, saying they were just friends.

But in November last year, Pc A told investigators they had been in a relationship since the previous summer, and examination of her phone showed they had shared 57,568 WhatsApp messages and 6,631 texts.

A large number of them were sexual in nature, some were sent on duty, others discussed outdoor sex and they agreed to lie about what they were doing if challenged, DI Hunter told the hearing.

As an example, the detective said Sutcliffe texted Pc A at 1.41am while he was on a night shift in July 2024, asking where to park at her house and leaving the boot of his vehicle open, indicating he was a dog handler.

DI Hunter said there was a subsequent text at 4.17am indicating “sexual conduct had occurred”.

It was later clarified that the sexual activity took place while he was stood down from his dog handler duties at the end of a night shift.

On another night shift in September 2024, Sutcliffe sent Pc A sexually explicit pictures and videos, the hearing was told.

DI Hunter said mobile phone evidence also revealed the pair had sex in public places while off-duty.

A message he sent Pc A in August 2024 referred to Sutcliffe’s “wish to have sex outside and makes reference to a previous encounter in a car park in broad daylight which he described as risky,” DI Hunter said.

He suggested possible locations and later texts suggested it had taken place, the hearing was told.

And in December 2024, there was a message from Sutcliffe which referred to “enjoying the risk”.

When a member of the Professional Standards team interviewed Sutcliffe, he stated that he and Pc A were “merely friends” and suggested the allegations may be “malicious”.

He later messaged Pc A to say he had denied their relationship to investigators and that she should do the same.

DI Hunter said Sutcliffe revealed confidential details to Pc A when another officer was arrested at his home in July 2025 when there was no policing purpose to do so.

She said in August last year, Sutcliffe told Pc A he was going to apply for “health and safety jobs” as he was “expecting the worst and needed to get back-up options in place”.

Ms Fuller said Sutcliffe made a written submission, accepting his conduct amounted to misconduct but suggesting it fell short of gross misconduct.

Pc Adam Woodland, for the Police Federation on behalf of Sutcliffe, said the former officer did not believe his performance had been affected and that colleagues would support that.

Reading a statement on his behalf, Pc Woodland said: “I apologise for the areas where I fell short and I have reflected on them.”

Sutcliffe also queried why Pc A had not faced disciplinary action.

The Chief Constable said she believed that needed further consideration by the Appropriate Authority.

Regarding the texts sent while on duty, Ms Fuller said: “The sheer volume and contents implies there must have been some distraction from his commitment to work which would have inevitably interfered with the proper performance of his duty.”

The Chief Constable said Sutcliffe, who joined the force in 2005, will be barred from future service.

On the Police Interceptors website, Sutcliffe was listed an advanced driver trained in tactical pursuit, an armed response officer, a medic, a public order instructor and a family liaison officer.