Ex-police detective sergeant jailed after assaulting Cheshire woman

Paul Whitehurst appeared at Chester Crown Court today (Monday, July 29), where he was sentenced to 18 weeks in prison and banned from entering Nantwich for 10 years.

He had also been handed an indefinite restraining order which prevents him from contacting the victim.  

The 53-year-old of Barony Road, Nantwich, had previously pleaded guilty to four counts of section 39 assault.

The charges relate to four incidents involving a woman from Nantwich, which occurred between October and December 2023.

During one of the incidents Whitehurst pushed the victim across a caravan following a disagreement between the pair, on another occasion he verbally abused her and threw a pint over her after she spoke to another man at a pub. In the final attack he pinned his victim to the floor following another disagreement.

Following the guilty plea, Detective Constable Lauren Constable, from Cheshire Constabulary, said: “Police officers are placed in a position of trust and there are clear guidelines about the standards expected from them, both in and out of work.

“Whitehurst was aware of these standards, having worked as a detective sergeant in the Professional Standards Department at Warwickshire Police.

"But sadly, he chose to ignore them. Not only did he assault his victim multiple times, but he also went on to breach the bail conditions that were set for him by the court.

“I would like to take this as an opportunity to thank the victim for the bravery she has shown throughout this case, and I hope that the guilty plea will provide her with some closure.

“As this case demonstrates, Cheshire Constabulary is committed to investigating all offences – no matter who the alleged offender is. Police officers, staff and volunteers are not above the law and will be treated in the same way as any other suspect.”

If anyone sees Whitehurst breach the order banning him from Nantwich, they should contact Cheshire Police on 101.