Officer from 'Police Interceptors' Faces Dismissal for Gross Misconduct

A police officer who appeared on Channel 5's "Police Interceptors" has been barred from ever serving again after a misconduct hearing found him guilty of gross misconduct. Acting Sergeant Ben Sutcliffe, who had 21 years of service with Cleveland Police, engaged in sexual relations with a probationary constable while on duty, including taking his police dog to her home for illicit meet-ups.

Extent of Misconduct

Sutcliffe exchanged approximately 64,000 text and WhatsApp messages with the woman, identified only as PC A, between July 2024 and November 2025. The misconduct hearing, held in Stockton-on-Tees, Co. Durham, revealed that the messages included sexually explicit content and discussions about sexual activity in public places. Detective Inspector Holly Hunter of the force's professional standards department stated that photographs and videos of a sexual nature were exchanged while Sutcliffe was on duty. He also referred to "risky" outdoor sex sessions and "enjoying the risk" in messages exchanged in August and December 2024.

Deception and Abuse of Position

When suspicions arose about their relationship in 2025, Sutcliffe allegedly lied to superiors, claiming they were merely friends who went for dog walks and coffee. Simultaneously, he warned PC A via messages to "stick to the story and we won't get caught." Chief Constable Victoria Fuller described this as "controlling and coercive behaviour" towards a junior officer. The hearing also noted that Sutcliffe briefed PC A about the arrest of another Cleveland Police officer at his home in July 2025, an action for which he had no policing justification.

Outcome and Consequences

Sutcliffe resigned from Cleveland Police in February, prior to the misconduct hearing. Chief Constable Fuller ruled that Sutcliffe's behavior constituted gross misconduct and that he would have been dismissed had he still been serving. He has been barred from the College of Policing register, preventing him from joining any other police force. While disciplinary action was not taken against PC A, Chief Constable Fuller indicated that the matters warrant further consideration by the appropriate authority.

Sutcliffe, who appeared in seasons 13 and 14 of "Police Interceptors" in 2017 and 2018, submitted a written statement acknowledging misconduct but arguing it fell short of gross misconduct. He stated he did not intend to deceive or misuse his position, citing a desire for privacy due to past negative experiences within the organization, and apologized for his shortcomings.