Deputy Chief Constable Amanda Blakeman of Gwent police has personally apologised to two women who were serving officers abused by a more senior police officer, after they were failed when reporting their allegations. The apology forms part of a wider settlement of a civil claim for damages brought by the two women raising issues of negligence. A statement has been released today by Gwent Police.
The two women, known as ‘Jodie’ and ‘Sarah’, were both probationary officers when they met (former) PC Clarke Joslyn, who was involved in their training. Joslyn relied on his more senior position to groom both women into relationships with him. Both were then subjected to domestic abuse by PC Joslyn, and eventually reported him. Their allegations were not properly investigated, and instead they were subject to victimisation by colleagues of Joslyn, and left unsupported. It later transpired that several other women had also been victimised by Joslyn over a period of years, yet he remained a serving officer, with easy access to young female trainees, until misconduct proceedings were finally brought against him in 2018. He resigned shortly before a panel found his conduct amounted to gross misconduct at a hearing in 2019.
The two cases form part of a dossier of evidence compiled by Centre for Women’s Justice in a national police super-complaint on police perpetrated abuse, currently under investigation, which has led to over 155 women coming forward who have suffered similar experiences.
Jodie said, “It took all of my strength and courage for me to report these crimes back in 2012. When I wasn’t taken seriously, my confidence and trust were shattered beyond repair. I was left not only feeling worthless but also that my integrity was being questioned…
My aim all the way through this was to bring a domestic violence perpetrator to justice and prevent anybody else going through what I did. Sadly this was not the case due to the negligence of Gwent police and its boys club culture."
Sarah said, “When I came forward to report Clarke Joslyn’s illegal behaviour - doing exactly what I had always been, as a police officer, trained to do - I wasn’t just denied support; I lost everything. My reputation, my health, and ultimately my career in the police. I entered Gwent Police a bubbly young woman who was excited about her job and her future. When I left just 5 years later, I was completely broken. I have even lost my confidence in the police as a public service.”
Jodie and Sarah were represented by Kate Ellis and Harriet Wistrich from Centre for Women’s Justice
For further background information please read our briefing.