A DETECTIVE at the centre of a catalogue of failures and discreditable conduct, contributing to the collapse of a rape case, has been allowed to keep his job.
Detective constable Nick Lane of North Yorkshire Police has been given a final written warning by an independent panel after they found some of his breaches of discipline were gross misconduct.
The hearing was told there were serious concerns about the situation in the sexual offences unit at the time he was working there with officers warning it was a “car crash” and it was only by the “grace of God the wheels hadn’t fallen off.”
DC Lane apologised to the victims during the hearing, but said he loved being a police officer and his barrister Steven Crossley appealed to the panel to allow him to keep his job.
DC Lane said: ”I would be the first to acknowledge I have let myself down, the failings identified have been crystal clear and I have learned a tremendous amount in the two years this process has taken.
“These are mistakes I will never repeat. None of these were deliberate. In relation to the victims I have seen what they have gone through and I would like to offer my personal apologies to them and apologise for my failings. I blame myself and it is obvious the affect this has had on them."
North Yorkshire Police's Newby Wiske HQ
Panel chair Nicola Murphy said: "There was a failure to record allegations or comply with disclosure, failure to follow basic lines of inquiry, failure to make action plans and other scheduling failures.
“These were capable of affecting subsequent proceedings and impact on the credibility of witnesses and victims. Some breaches are so serious dismissal would be justified.”
But Mrs Murphy said they had found no element of dishonesty or lack of integrity.
The breaches go back to July 2014. The hearing had been told the officer failed to release key documents which contributed to the acquittal of a rape suspect. An appeal court judge later condemned the force over the most “total and abject failure to deal with disclosure” he had seen in 50 years.”
Mr Crossley said there were key issues with concern over DC Lane’s workload, level of supervision and training with no tutor appointed to help him. He told the hearing North Yorkshire police’s own policy on rape cases was that it should be at Detective Sergeant level.
George Thomas for the force said there had been really basic investigative failures.
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