Northamptonshire police officer given final written warning after trying to hug and put his arm around colleague
A Northamptonshire police officer has been given a final written warning after trying to hug and put his arm around a colleague.
PC Jonathan Eaton was the subject of a misconduct hearing at Northamptonshire Police at Force Headquarters on April 22, 2025.
The hearing was held in relation to an incident, which took place on a works night out on December 11, 2023.
PC Eaton, who joined Northamptonshire Police in January 2023, admitted that he “moved his chair closer to” the colleague “to try to hug her and to put is arm on her back”.
According to the misconduct hearing outcome document published by Northamptonshire Police, the officer “recognises that he failed to read the room and that he was, at this stage, irritating and annoying [his colleague] in a way, which she did not welcome.” He also admitted that the actions were “misconduct but not gross misconduct”.
Northamptonshire Police says PC Eaton, who was present at the misconduct hearing, was “at a social event with work colleagues, when he behaved in an inappropriately familiar manner towards a female colleague, by touching her in a way which was unwanted and inappropriately personal”.
The panel concluded that the officer breached the standards of professional behaviour relating to discreditable conduct, authority, respect and courtesy and equality and diversity.
The panel said: “We accept the submissions made on behalf of the officer that this was ill-judged behaviour rather than predatory or malicious. Importantly, we find that this was not sexually motivated, nor was it behaviour related to sex. It was an unwanted intrusion into personal space.”
The panel also considered the officer’s “record of service [in the army] and the impressive character evidence", as well as an apology and that it was a “momentary lapse".
The panel concluded: “We have come to the view that, keeping in mind the threefold purpose of police conduct proceedings, we can deal with this unusual set of facts by way of a written warning. We take the view that this represents a significant imposition on an officer.”
PC Eaton’s written warning will last for 18 months. He has the right to appeal the panel’s decision.