Former Cleveland Police chief Mike Veale barred from serving over misconduct

An ex-chief constable who made sexual comments to colleagues has been barred from serving, a Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) has ruled.

Mike Veale, who led Cleveland Police for 10 months before resigning in 2019, told a female officer she could "touch herself" while they were in a car.

In June a disciplinary panel ruled his behaviour amounted to gross misconduct.

PCC Steve Turner said that his "sexualised conduct" would have led to dismissal if he was still an officer.

"Following a misconduct hearing in June, I have today considered the panel's recommendation," Mr Turner said.

"I have found that the gross misconduct in question was so serious that the only appropriate sanction is for disciplinary action to be imposed.

"Had Mr Veale still been a serving officer, he would have been dismissed.

"Anything short of dismissal of a chief constable for sexualised conduct toward a less senior officer would send a message to the public and to police officers that such conduct is not taken seriously in the police. It very much is taken seriously."

He added that the proceedings had taken "longer than anticipated" and thanked everyone involved for their "patience."

Mr Veale, who was Chief Constable of Cleveland Police at the time, looked at his female colleague's lap when he made the remark while they were sitting together in a car.

He later described the same woman and a senior male officer as "bedfellows".

The panel said his conduct, which took place in 2018, amounted to gross misconduct.

The 57-year-old, who was appointed chief constable in 2018, before leaving 10 months later, had denied both allegations.

Before joining Cleveland Police, Mr Veale led a controversial inquiry at Wiltshire Police into sexual allegations against the late prime minister Sir Edward Heath.

In December 2022 he was given the interim job of chief executive officer for the PCC for Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland, but stepped down after just two months.

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