Custody officer arrested on suspicion of sexual misconduct towards woman

A custody detention officer has been arrested on suspicion of sexual touching, misconduct, and cyberflashing, Greater Manchester Police said.

The allegations are being investigated by the independent police watchdog, which said they were very serious.

Greater Manchester Police said the custody detention officer (CDO) based at Bolton Police Station was arrested on Sunday following allegations of sexual misconduct towards a woman who was acting as an appropriate adult for a person who was in custody.

The CDO has been suspended and is on pre-charge conditional police bail

The force said the complaint was made in June, and related to alleged sexual misconduct which began in May.

CCTV footage from the police custody suite and other digital material has been seized, police said.

Detectives were obtaining full accounts from all relevant parties in the investigation, the force added.

An internal review is also being undertaken into how the complaint was initially handled, and the force had made a voluntary referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), it said.

The IOPC said it was a mandatory referral.

IOPC regional director Catherine Bates said: “These are very serious allegations against someone in a position of authority and it is important for these to be fully investigated.

“In light of the nature of the complaint, this will be done by the IOPC, independently of the police.”