Police Officer Imprisoned Following Sexual Assault Conviction

An officer serving with Devon and Cornwall Police has been sentenced to prison after being found guilty of sexually assaulting a woman. PC Simon Mitchell, 43, of Bideford, received a three-year jail term and was ordered to register on the Sex Offender Register at Bristol Crown Court. Mitchell, who had denied a charge of sexual assault by penetration, was convicted on 12 September following a nine-day trial. The police force indicated that Mitchell would be subject to internal misconduct proceedings, with the outcome to be announced in due course. The charge was connected to an incident that occurred while he was off-duty in Exeter on 9 June 2022, according to the force. It stated that it was first informed of the allegations in September 2022, and Mitchell was immediately suspended from duty subsequent to his arrest. Assistant Chief Constable Matt Longman commented that the victim is receiving support from specialist officers and expressed hope that the sentence given to Mitchell would “give her some sense of closure.” He added, “We are as committed as ever to rooting out predatory behaviour and protecting women and girls from sexual violence.”