Police Officer Accused of Abusive Behavior, Including Threatening Ex-Partner with Car Crash, Misconduct Panel Hears

A misconduct panel was informed that a police officer, facing accusations of abusing his former partner, allegedly stated he would “crash a car and leave her inside it.” Humberside Police Constable Liam Madden is alleged to have exerted control over and abused his former partner, who was also a colleague, during their personal relationship, which spanned from June 2019 to May 2021. Furthermore, he faces accusations of controlling and abusing a second female officer with whom he was in a relationship during 2022. PC Madden refutes these claims, as well as allegations of unauthorized business activities concerning the rental of rooms in his residence without obtaining prior approval from the force. During the misconduct hearing held at the force’s facility in Goole, details emerged regarding the officer’s consistent pattern of “controlling or oppressive” abusive conduct directed at both women, who were serving officers when these incidents occurred. Olivia Checa-Dover, a barrister representing the force, stated that PC Madden exhibited jealousy when his former partner, identified as “PC A,” communicated with other men. She added that he appeared at her residence uninvited on multiple occasions, including one instance in June 2020 while driving a marked police vehicle. Ms Checa-Dover informed the panel that he engaged in verbal abuse, “berating her about her interaction with a male colleague,” and proposed she “should get double-teamed by two male colleagues – in other words having sex with two men simultaneously.” According to Ms Checa-Dover, in October 2020, PC Madden reportedly told PC A, “I’m going to crash this car with you in it and leave you there.” The panel was also informed that PC Madden was “persistently contacting her on another platform” after she had blocked him as their relationship concluded. Ms Checa-Dover testified that following their separation, PC Madden was reassigned to a different team. However, in July 2021, he allegedly made an anonymous call to the force, falsely claiming that PC A had been involved in an altercation at a wedding with two male officers “whom she was sleeping with.” She quoted him as saying, “He was seeking action be taken and he could call back to check.” This call was subsequently brought to the attention of a supervising officer, who conducted an investigation and later “felt the officer’s behaviour amounted to coercive control,” as presented to the panel. Ms Checa-Dover further stated that PC A was living “in fear and the officer’s actions had a serious effect on her day-to-day life.” The panel was also informed of “striking similarities” in PC Madden’s subsequent six-month relationship with a second woman, identified as “PC B.” During this relationship, he allegedly accused her of “being with other men and telling her no-one would love her, that she needed help, that she had a problem and that she was not normal.” PC Madden denies the allegations that his conduct constitutes gross misconduct. The hearing is ongoing.