Devon Police Officer Found Guilty Of Sexual Assault
A jury has found 30-year-old PC Kane Haywood guilty of sexual assault by penetration but not of two counts of rape.
On Wednesday, at Bristol Crown Court, he was handed an 18-month suspension with a one-year sentence.
The sexual assault occurred in March 2021 in Exeter. According to what the court heard, he contacted his victim on social media and visited her apartment during his off-duty hours.
After what the court described as Haywood's "misreading of signals... and a loss of self control," he was found guilty. The judge, Peter Blair KC, said that the East Devon man, Haywood, had "behaved in a cavalier fashion and a sense of entitlement," which had a devastating effect on the victim.
The charges of sexual assault and rape were announced by the police in January 2023.
Judge Blair informed Haywood that the loss of his job as a police officer would constitute part of his punishment, and he expressed his confidence that Haywood would not constitute any continued danger to women, therefore he decided not to impose an immediate jail term.
"You have forfeited a worthy career and will find it almost impossible to gain any position in the community ever again," he said.
Upon his release from the dock, Haywood, who has been placed on suspension since his arrest, thanked the court and broke down in tears.
In addition to 10 years on the Sex Offenders' registrry, the court also ordered him to pay one thousand pounds towards costs.