A Sussex Police officer accused of sexually assaulting two female colleagues while on duty has been cleared of all charges following a trial at Southwark Crown Court.
PC Lee Willis, 49, who was based in the Brighton and Hove division, had pleaded not guilty to three counts of sexual assault by touching. On Friday, 9 May, a jury found him not guilty on all counts.
Allegations and Trial
The court heard that the allegations related to incidents in January and February 2023, when PC Willis was alleged to have inappropriately touched each woman during separate on-duty encounters. The jury was not persuaded beyond reasonable doubt and returned unanimous verdicts of not guilty.
Officer Suspended, Misconduct Probe May Follow
Willis had been suspended from duty since the allegations were first reported. The case was referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), which directed Sussex Police to conduct a local investigation through its Professional Standards Department.
Now that the criminal proceedings have concluded, Sussex Police has confirmed it will review the case for potential misconduct proceedings under internal disciplinary regulations.
A spokesperson for the force said:
“While we respect the outcome of the court, any allegations of this nature are taken extremely seriously. A decision on misconduct matters will follow in due course.”
Public and Policing Impact
The case had drawn significant attention due to its impact on public confidence in the police, with both the alleged incidents and the trial proceedings closely monitored by external oversight bodies.
No further statement has yet been made by PC Willis or his legal team.
