Former West Mercia Police officer charged with sexual assault by touching

A former West Mercia Police officer is to appear in court charged with sexual assault by touching, following an investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).

Oliver Dines, 31, is charged with two counts of sexual assault by touching on dates in October and November 2020, when he was a serving police constable. The alleged offences relate to occasions while he was on duty involving two separate women he met through the course of his duties.

Mr Dines is due to appear at Hereford Magistrates’ Court on 22 June.

Our investigation began in December 2020 following a referral from West Mercia Police concerning the alleged conduct of PC Dines. At the conclusion of our investigation, we submitted our report to the Crown Prosecution Service which has since authorised the charges under Section 3 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003.