Police officer told a woman he met on Tinder he would kidnap, rape and murder her in chilling echo to the Sarah Everard case, a court heard

Daily Mail​

10 hours ago

A police officer told a woman he met on Tinder that he would kidnap, rape and murder her in a chilling echo to the Sarah Everard case, a court has heard.
Andrew Holmes was a serving officer with Hampshire Police when he made the 'menacing and disgusting' comment to a woman he had started speaking to on the dating app.
During the conversation in August last year, the 32-year-old said that if they met up he would kidnap, rape and murder her and burn her body.
The shocked victim reported the incident to police, particularly given that he had told her he was a policeman.
Holmes, 32, was spared prison but a district judge said it was 'astonishing' he thought that his comments were appropriate against the background of the Sarah Everard case.
Ms Everard was abducted, raped and murdered by serving Met Police officer Wayne Couzens in March 2021, in a case that shocked the UK.
Poole Magistrates' Court heard that Holmes had engaged in a 'short conversation' with the woman on Tinder last year.
In a statement, the victim said that when they initially reported the incident to the police, they 'didn't feel like it had affected me that much'.
Holmes (pictured), 32, was arrested by fellow officers at his home in Southampton, two days later on August 18. He was spared prison but a district judge said it was 'astonishing' he thought that his comments were appropriate against the background of the Sarah Everard case
Describing the comments as 'vulgar and disgusting', the statement, read by Leah Dillon, prosecuting, added: 'Although he had told me he was a police officer I was really hoping he wasn't as I didn't want to believe a police officer would say such awful things.
'When the police told me he was an officer and had been arrested it really shook me up. I started to think what would have happened if we had met up.
'It made me feel so uneasy, especially the rape comment as this is something that happens to women on dating sites.'
The victim, who did not know Holmes prior to their 'short' interaction, also shared how the comments by Holmes had 'knocked' their confidence.
They added: 'I've not been on any dating sites since this incident and have no plans to.
'I don't know why he felt he could say this thing to me, as well as not knowing what his true intentions were.'
Holmes was arrested by fellow officers at his home in Southampton two days later, on August 18.
Officers also discovered an extendable police baton in his bedside drawer he was not meant to have.
Holmes maintained that it was a joke and denied sending an offensive, indecent, obscene or menacing message by public communication network. He did, however, admit to having an offensive weapon in a private place.
Found guilty of the charges following the trial, Holmes was sacked from his job following a misconduct hearing in March.
Rosa Bennathan, defending, described Mr Holmes as a 'man of good character'.
She said: 'That loss of good character will be significant. The loss of his career through his actions.
'When she said she was unhappy with the messages, he immediately apologised and sought to reassure her, he has expressed real significant remorse.'
Ms Bennathan also said that batons were kept in an area of the police station where individuals left unused equipment and that officers would often take things as spares.
She added: 'He intended to use it as a spare, took it home with him and forgot he had done so. He accepts he should not have been storing that kind of police equipment at home.'
The court also heard that Holmes is beginning to 're-establish' a 'relationship' with a woman, Ms Sarah Hocking.
Having met on a dating site, the pair have known each other for eight years, with Ms Hocking describing Holmes as 'consistently kind and supportive'.
Ms Bennathan added: 'He and Sarah Hocking are beginning to re-establish their relationship, move back in together and discuss a family.
'He is mortified, he will not commit similar offending in the future and he's not a risk to the public.'
Judge Mike Snow told Holmes that there was 'no possibility' that his comments 'could reasonably be taken as a joke'.
Directly addressing the former police officer, he said:' You were a serving police officer on August 16, 2024.
'Taking place against the background of the Sarah Everard case, I find it astonishing anyone would ever think it was appropriate to send two messages referencing kidnap, rape, murder and burning of the body.
'It had a very profound effect on your victim. She has left dating sites because of fear she will come across somebody who will behave in a similar way.'
The judge added that while this was the 'most serious category' which carries jail time, he would grant suspension due to Holmes' previous good character and real prospect of rehabilitation.
Holmes was given a six-week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, and ordered to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work and pay £500 compensation to the victim and prosecution costs of £650.
He was also ordered to pay a £200 fine for the police baton offence and £154 victim surcharge.
Hampshire Police Assistant Chief Constable Tony Rowlinson said: 'It is inconceivable to me that someone who has identified themselves as a police officer, while off duty, could ever feel it would be appropriate to make menacing comments like this to somebody they have just met.
'PC Holmes may have not intended to cause emotional or psychological harm to the woman, however he should have foreseen there was a risk of such harm.
'This sort of behaviour undermines trust and confidence, in particular in relation to the perception of women and girls, and the trust they can have in a male officer to treat them with respect and take their reports seriously.'