Complaints procedure
Source: gov.uk (2025-12-05)

Complain about the CNCs service, staff or police officers and find out about misconduct hearings and criminal cases involving CNC employees

Complain about the CNC’s service or staff

Fill in a National Complaints Form (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/649ade78f901090012818892/National_Complaint_Form_3.1.pdf) (PDF, 1.7 MB, 5 pages) and email it to our Professional Standards Department (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx) or send it to:

Professional Standards DepartmentCivil Nuclear ConstabularyCulham CampusAbingdonOxfordshireOX14 3DB

Complain about a police officer in the CNC

If you want to make a complaint about a police officer in the CNC you can:
- go to the police unit on site to make your complaint
- contact the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) (https://www.policeconduct.gov.uk/) who will forward your complaint to the right police service
- fill in a National Complaints Form (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/649ade78f901090012818892/National_Complaint_Form_3.1.pdf) (PDF, 1.7 MB, 5 pages)
Further help with making a complaint

Visit your local Citizens Advice Bureau (https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/) who will tell you if you’ve got grounds for a complaint. They can also help you to make the complaint.

Your solicitor or local law centre (http://www.lawcentres.org.uk/) can advise you or help you make a complaint.

If your complaint might be about a racial incident, you can contact the Equality and Human Rights Commission (https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/en).

Criminal cases involving CNC employees

Serving officer sentenced

A serving CNC police officer has been sentenced at Carlisle’s Rickergate Magistrates’ Court after pleading guilty on 22 April to two offences of being in charge of a dog that injured two people while dangerously out of control.

On 13 May 2024, PC Andrew Harkison was sentenced to a four month sentence for the first incident and six months for the second, suspended for two years. He must also perform 240 hours of unpaid work in the community, pay £85 costs and a £187 victim surcharge and he was banned from owning or controlling a dog for five years.

PC Harkison is currently suspended from duty pending a gross misconduct investigation, which could not progress until criminal proceedings had been concluded. Details of any resulting misconduct hearing or outcome will be placed on this website.

Former officer imprisoned

A former CNC police officer has been sentenced to three years in prison, after being found guilty on 7 July of assaulting a woman on 26 September 2020.

Jason Corley, aged 42, of Oaklands in Framingham Earl, Norfolk, was a serving police constable with the CNC based at Sizewell when the offence took place. He resigned from the Constabulary shortly after his arrest.

Misconduct hearings

The Civil Nuclear Constabulary will publish information about public misconduct or accelerated proceedings here. Both procedures deal with allegations of gross misconduct.

All misconduct or accelerated proceedings should be held in public to improve transparency and accountability and to ensure public confidence. There may be circumstances when it will be necessary and appropriate for all or parts of the proceedings to be held in private. In such cases notice giving reasons will be provided to the public.

Misconduct hearings are heard by a panel of three, a Chief Constable (or senior officer) as chair and two independent lay members appointed by the local policing body. A legal advisor who supports the panel but does not decide is also present. The facts will be heard by the panel, often with the assistance of live witnesses to enable the panel to make a determination.

Accelerated proceedings are heard by the Chief Constable, who will consider the evidence available from reports and documentary evidence. Witnesses do not normally attend accelerated proceedings.

In cases held under either process, the possible outcomes and sanctions available are:
- misconduct not found
- no further action
- refer to reflective practice review process
- written warning (valid for 18 months)
- final written warning (two years)
- extension of final written warning (up to five years)
- reduction in rank
- dismissal without notice
The public will be given a minimum of five working days notice of any forthcoming misconduct or accelerated proceedings.

Please note the following:
- anyone not preregistered will not be admitted
- anyone attending must arrive a minimum of one hour of the stated time with appropriate formal photographic identification
- audio and video recordings are not permitted
- the use of live, text based communications for the purpose of simultaneous reporting will only be permitted if the person chairing or conducting proceedings is satisfied that it does not interfere with the orderly conduct of the proceedings
- any behaviour deemed to interfere or likely to interfere with proceedings will lead to exclusion from the hearing
- animals, with the exclusion of guide/assistance dogs are not permitted in the hearing room
- there is limited visitor parking available
- catering facilities are available at the individual’s expense
Notice for Misconduct Hearing to be held in public – 15 January 2026 at 10:00

Former PC Aidan Love will answer allegations that his conduct amounts to a breach of the Standards of Professional Behaviour, in respect of:
- Discreditable Conduct;
- Honesty and integrity;
- Authority, respect and courtesy.
The conduct as alleged, if found proved, could amount to Gross Misconduct.

The allegations are as follows:

On 28 May 2024 FPC Love was charged with offences under Section 23 (causing a young child to look at a sexual image) and Section 24 (communicating indecently with a young child) of the Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act 2009.

FPC Love pleaded guilty to those offences at Wick Sheriff Court on the 27 May 2025 and was convicted. The court sentenced FPC Love to 3 years supervision, 225 hours of community work and placed him upon the sex offenders register.

The hearing will take place in person and in public at The Culham Conference Centre, Culham Science Centre, Abingdon OX14 3DB.

If members of the public wish to observe the hearing, they are required to register by no later than 4PM on Thursday 8 January 2026 by sending an email to xxx@xxx.xx with the following details: name, date of birth, address, email address and phone number.

No external recording or filming of the hearing is allowed and there is to be no live use of social media during the course of the proceedings although members of the accredited press are entitled to attend and make notes in the usual way.

Notice of Outcome

Officer concerned: Former Officer Sean McKenna

Date of Misconduct Hearing: 18 September 2025

Outcome Summary

On 13 May 2025 he pleaded guilty to an offence of driving over the prescribed limit, contrary to section 5 of the Road Traffic Act 1988.

On 03 June 2025 he was disqualified from holding or obtaining a driving licence for 25 Months, to be reduced by 25 Weeks if by 19 October 2026 he satisfactorily completes a course approved by the Secretary of State. He was also issued with a Community Payback Order to carry out 50 hours unpaid work within the next 12 months.

It was alleged that Former Officer McKenna’s conduct, the conviction and the nature of the offence for which he had been convicted were incompatible with the role of a police officer, brought discredit to the Civil Nuclear Constabulary and undermined public confidence in it, in breach of the Standards of Professional Behaviour of Discreditable Conduct. It was alleged that this conduct, if found proved, would amount to Gross Misconduct.

At the hearing, the panel found the allegations of Discreditable Conduct proven as Gross Misconduct.

Decision

The panel determined that had the officer not resigned, he would have been dismissed.

View the Written Reasons from FPC McKenna’s Misconduct Hearing (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/68d557759ce370a7e0a0fce7/20250918_McKenna_-_complete_determination_-_v2.docx) (MS Word Document, 38.5 KB)

Notice of Outcome

Officer concerned: Former Officer Luke Eneas

Date of Misconduct Hearing: 11 September 2025

Outcome Summary

On 2 June 2025, former PC Eneas pleaded guilty to an offence of driving over the prescribed limit, contrary to section 5 of the Road Traffic Act 1988.

On 02 June 2025, former PC Eneas was disqualified from holding or obtaining a driving licence for 23 Months, to be reduced by 23 Weeks if by 21 September 2026 he satisfactorily completes a course approved by the Secretary of State. He was also issued with a Community Order to carry out unpaid work for 40 hours within the next 12 months.

It was alleged that Former Officer Eneas’ conduct, the conviction and the nature of the offence for which he had been convicted were incompatible with the role of a police officer, brought discredit to the Civil Nuclear Constabulary and undermined public confidence in it, in breach of the Standards of Professional Behaviour of Discreditable Conduct. It was alleged that this conduct, if found proved, would amount to Gross Misconduct.

At the hearing, the panel found the allegations of Discreditable Conduct proven as Gross Misconduct.

Decision

The panel determined that had the officer not resigned, he would have been dismissed.

View the Hearing Outcome of FPC Eneas (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/68c2d2338c6d992f23edd8e4/Hearing_Outcome_of_FPC_Luke_Eneas.pdf) (PDF, 4.68 MB, 11 pages)

Notice of Outcome

Officer concerned: Former Officer Mark Bennett

Date of Misconduct Hearing: 23 June 2025

Outcome Summary

On 3 February 2025 Former Officer Bennett pleaded guilty to an offence of driving over the prescribed limit, contrary to section 5 of the Road Traffic Act 1988.

On 3 February 2025 Former Officer Bennett was disqualified from holding or obtaining a driving licence for 20 Months, to be reduced by 20 Weeks if by 15 March 2026 he satisfactorily completes a course approved by the Secretary of State. He was also fined £120.00.

It was alleged that Former Officer Bennett’s conduct, the conviction and the nature of the offence for which he had been convicted were incompatible with the role of a police officer, brought discredit to the Civil Nuclear Constabulary and undermined public confidence in it, in breach of the Standards of Professional Behaviour of Discreditable Conduct. It was alleged that this conduct, if found proved, would amount to Gross Misconduct.

At the hearing, the panel found the allegations of Discreditable Conduct proven as Gross Misconduct.

Decision

The panel determined that had the officer not resigned, he would have been dismissed.

View the Written Reasons of the misconduct panel (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/685ea4dfe44db4975be00b85/Written_reasons_of_the_misconduct_panel.pdf) (PDF, 174 KB, 8 pages).

Notice of Outcome

Former officers concerned: Adam Rothery, Andrew Smith, Fraser Dove, Ryan Hancock and Stephen Moss.

Date of hearing: 14 and 15 October 2024.

Outcome Summary

The allegations were as follows:
- Between 2019 and 2021 the former officers were members of a WhatsApp group known as ‘Band of Brothers’.
- That the WhatsApp group was a forum for sharing inappropriate material of a discriminatory nature on the grounds of sex and/or disability and/or race and/or religion which the former officers contributed to and/or failed to challenge or report the material.
It was alleged that their conduct amounted to a breach of the Standards of Professional Behaviour, in respect of:
- Discreditable Conduct, in that the former officers behaved in a manner which discredits the police service and / or undermines public confidence in it.
- Equality and Diversity, in that the former police officers did not act with fairness and impartiality. They do not discriminate unlawfully or unfairly.
- Authority, Respect and Courtesy in that the former police officers did not act with self-control and tolerance, treating members of the public and colleagues with respect and courtesy.
- Challenging and Reporting Improper Conduct, in that the former officers did not report, challenge or take action against the conduct of colleagues which had fallen below the Standards of Professional Behaviour.
Decision

At the hearing the panel found the allegation proven as Gross Misconduct and findings were made that each former officer concerned would have been dismissed if they had not ceased to be a member of a police force.

CNC statement

Former CNC officers who shared and failed to challenge highly offensive and discriminatory WhatsApp messages have been found to have committed gross misconduct following a hearing held in front of a panel, led by an independent Legally Qualified Chair.

At the hearing the panel found the allegation proven as gross misconduct and findings were made that each former officer concerned would have been dismissed if they had not ceased to be a member of a police force.

Former PCs, Adam Rothery, Andrew Smith, Fraser Dove, Ryan Hancock, Stephen Moss and Benjamin Kirk, who had transferred to Avon and Somerset Police, were part of a WhatsApp group in which offensive and derogatory content was shared, including racist, misogynistic and ableist content. The messages were sent between June 2020 and February 2021. Following their discovery and referral to IOPC, the officers were suspended in September 2022.

The panel ruled the five former officers had breached the Standards of Professional Behaviour including Discreditable Conduct, Equality and Diversity, Authority, Respect and Courtesy and Challenging and Reporting Improper Behaviour.

Avon and Somerset held their own misconduct hearing for Mr Kirk separately.

Chief Constable Simon Chesterman said: “The behaviour of these former officers fell well short of the standards expected of CNC officers and staff. As soon as these grossly offensive messages were found, the CNC promptly notified the Independent Office for Police Conduct who began an investigation.

“The CNC fully accepts the findings of the misconduct tribunal; these former officers have no place in the police service.

“The only positive to come from this is that it demonstrates our determination to rid policing of this kind of behaviour and rebuild public trust. As I have always said, we will not tolerate misogynistic, racist, ableist or any sort of discriminatory behaviour. Those shown to have participated in this type of conduct cannot expect to remain as a member of the police service.

“Across CNC we are working hard to restore public trust and confidence in policing, encouraging our officers and staff to be upstanders and report discrimination, and we will continue to challenge any behaviour that falls short of our values and standards.”

Notice of Outcome

Officer concerned: PC Andrew Harkison

Date of Accelerated Misconduct Hearing: 6 August 2024

Outcome Summary

On 19th April 2024, PC Harkison pleaded guilty to two charges of being in charge of a dog which was dangerously out of control, contrary to section 3 of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991.

On 13th May 2024, PC Harkison received a suspended sentence of 10 months’ imprisonment with a requirement to carry out 240 hours of unpaid work, and was disqualified from having custody of a dog for a period of 5 years.

It was alleged that PC Harkison’s conduct amounted to a breach of the Standards of Professional Behaviour, in respect of Discreditable Conduct, in that PC Harkison behaved in a manner which discredited the police service and / or undermined public confidence in it. It was alleged that this conduct, if found proved, would amount to Gross Misconduct.

At the hearing, the chair, Chief Constable Simon Chesterman, found the allegations of Discreditable Conduct proven as Gross Misconduct.

Decision

PC Harkison was dismissed without notice.

View the Accelerated Misconduct Hearing findings of PC Harkison (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/66bcbddeb45d6a81cd314647/Accelerated_Misconduct_Hearing_findings_of_PC_Harkison.pdf) (PDF, 130 KB, 4 pages)