Police Officer Imprisoned for Sexual Assault and Attempted Cover-Up

A law enforcement officer has received a prison sentence for sexually assaulting a woman and attempting to conceal his actions by erasing the data on his mobile phone. Jonathan Holmes, a 24-year-old Police Constable formerly stationed in Bradford, was convicted of sexual assault and perverting the course of justice at Leeds Crown Court. The court was informed that Holmes, an officer with West Yorkshire Police, was acquainted with the victim and committed the assault in October 2021 while not on duty. He received a sentence of two years and two months in prison during a hearing held on Friday. Following his arrest, Holmes’ mobile phone was confiscated, and officers discovered it had been reset to its original factory settings shortly beforehand, according to a spokesperson for the force. He was promptly suspended from his duties and is scheduled to undergo a misconduct hearing at a later date, which aims to prevent him from being employed by the police service after his incarceration. Holmes was acquitted of two additional charges: attempted rape and another count of perverting the course of justice. Detective Chief Superintendent Nicola Bryar stated: “The victim has shown immense courage throughout this judicial process. “Holmes sought to hamper the police investigation and has put the victim through the ordeal of a trial by refusing to admit the sexual offence he committed against her. “He has now been made to face justice for his actions.” Holmes has been added to the sex offenders register for a period of 10 years. Highlights from West Yorkshire are available for listening on BBC Sounds, the latest episode of Look North can be viewed, or stories for potential coverage can be submitted here. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC states it is not responsible for the content of external sites. Information regarding its approach to external linking is available.