Hampshire police officer feared she would be 'sliced' with scissors at Portsmouth station by colleague who called her a ‘slut’

Ex-PC Simon Hawxwell is facing a gross misconduct hearing over his behaviour towards the woman that was today branded ‘utterly inappropriate for the modern police service’.

Along with the ‘aggressive’ scissors incident Hawxwell, 47, is accused of grabbing the same woman from behind in the yard at Portsmouth Central police station in Winston Churchill Avenue.

The ex-constable of 18 years’ experience allegedly put his arm around Officer A’s neck and said: ‘Do you like being choked (during sex)?’

Giving evidence today, Officer A said Hawxwell hooked his right arm around her neck from behind and it was ‘difficult to breathe’.

She said: ‘I felt surprised because I knew there was an arm around my neck, I was trying to concentrate on getting some air in.

‘It was quite tight, I could feel it on my windpipe, it was painful - it did happen very quickly but I could feel it on my windpipe.’

She added: ‘I was quite shocked when the words followed because I wasn’t expecting to hear that.

‘I think I must’ve been quite surprised or shocked. I think I replied with “no” and tried to push his arm away.’

Hawxwell released her and she entered the station before telling colleagues about it two or three hours later.

He is accused the next day, on June 17 last year, of telling colleagues at the station that a vacancy should be filled with ‘a female with massive (breasts)’.

Today Officer A said she replied by saying ‘we want someone who’s good for the job, suitable for the role, he said “no we don’t, we want someone with massive (breasts)”.’

She said he was ‘loud’ and ‘jokey’ and it was ‘his idea of banter’ but that she was ‘fed up’ with his frequent sexual comments.

‘It made me feel quite annoyed,’ she said. ‘I don’t think he liked the idea I’d answered back.

‘The smirk that was on his face went and his voice became more serious.’

He made the comment ‘shut your dirty little whore mouth’ and she said ‘don’t speak to me like that’ before he replied: ‘I’ll speak to you however I want you little slut, or words to that effect.’

Officer A today said: ‘It made me feel angry.’

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She added: ‘I’ve then turned my back, felt angry, and he’s picked up the pair of scissors that have been on the microwave and come forward with them next to my face, next to my cheek.’

Asked how she felt, she added: ‘Surprised. For a split second I was fearful that I was going to end up getting sliced. But you know... I didn’t think he’d ever be capable of doing that, it’s just when you have a pair of scissors put next to your face it makes you panic and you react by trying to lean back to get it away from you. I think it was shock more than anything.’

The officer said she thought he was ‘trying to have a joke’ and he had a ‘dark sense of humour’ but added: ‘It wasn’t funny.’

The hearing was told Hawxwell held the 6in scissors about 2in away from her face.

Mr Morley said Hawxwell – who did not attend the hearing – ‘says it was all meant as a joke, he was just joking around. He thought it was all very funny.’

The former officer denies gross misconduct and misconduct. He did not attend the hearing, which is due to last two days.

(Proceeding)

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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