A former police inspector has admitted misconduct in a public office relating to strip searches at six police stations.
Gerard Hutchings admitted 17 charges which were dated between October 1999 and April 2007.
It’s alleged that he improperly caused 18 complainants, who were aged between 17 and 31 at the time, to take their clothes off and move their genitals ‘when purporting to conduct a strip search’.
The offences are said to have happened at police stations in Aldershot, Yateley, Farnborough, Lyndhurst, Brockenhurst and Ringwood in Hampshire, while he was an inspector with Hampshire Police.
Hutchings has also denied 12 other charges: one of misconduct in a public office, five of indecent assault, four of causing a male to engage in non-penetrative sexual activity and two of attempting to cause a male to engage in sexual activity.
He will go to trial over the 12 denied charges and the three-week trial is due to start on January 20 of next year.
Hutchings appeared via video link and spoke to confirm his name, address and date of birth and enter his pleas to the charges against him.
Hampshire Police confirmed Hutchings left the force in 2007, with an investigation launched in 2021 following reports about his alleged offending.
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