Essex police officer guilty of assaulting woman in custody

An Essex police officer has been ordered to carry out unpaid work after being convicted of assault by beating, following our investigation.

Police constable Andrew Watt, 51, appeared at Cambridge Magistrates’ Court on Thursday 8 August where he admitted pushing a woman in a custody cell after she was arrested in Clacton-on-Sea in December 2023.

She sustained a head injury and needed hospital treatment. He was acquitted of a second charge of assault by beating.

PC Watt was sentenced the same day to 100 hours of unpaid work and ordered to pay £100 in compensation, an £85 court fee and a £114 victim surcharge. 

IOPC Regional Director Charmaine Arbouin said: “This officer now has a conviction against his name and this case should be a warning to officers who use force on people in custody. 

“Though force can be used if needed, officers are trained to always use it with restraint. In this case it was neither necessary, proportionate nor reasonable in the circumstances.”

On conclusion of the IOPC investigation in May 2024, we sent a file of evidence to the Crown Prosecution Service which authorised the charges.

We will now liaise with Essex Police to progress a misconduct hearing for the officer over alleged breaches of the police standards of professional behaviour.

• On 21 October, at an accelerated misconduct hearing, it was determined that former PC Watt, who left the force in September, would have been dismissed without notice had he still been serving. He was also placed on the policing barred list.