West Mercia PC gets suspended jail sentence for Telford and Stourbridge off-duty assaults
A West Mercia Police officer has been sentenced after being found guilty of assault.
The first incident was in Telford, in September 2021, and the second in Stourbridge, in October 2021. Both assaults took place when PC Lewis Catley was off duty.
Catley, who was based in Bromsgrove, was sentenced to 16 weeks in prison, suspended for 12 months, on Friday.
He was found guilty of two counts of assault by beating at Kidderminster Magistrates' Court on June 8.
Speaking after the sentencing, Deputy Chief Constable Julian Moss said: "There is absolutely no place for this behaviour within West Mercia Police and I am pleased the magistrate has recognised the severity of Catley’s offences with the sentence today.
“Police officers are not above the law. We are committed to prosecuting any officer who has committed a crime and will do so without fear or favour.
“Lewis Catley let down the communities he served. He has let down his profession and his colleagues by his behaviour. The force will not tolerate it, our officers will not tolerate it and I will not tolerate it.”
Catley resigned from the force while the investigation was ongoing.
An internal Professional Standards hearing will be held at a future date.