Two Herts Police officers breached standards after over their sexual relationship, a misconduct hearing has concluded.

The male and female Police Constables, who have not been named, admitted having sexual activity on three occasions in February 2022, one of which happened while the female officer was on duty.

They were both found to have breached police standards in relation to integrity and discreditable conduct and the female was dismissed without notice.

The male would also have been sacked if he had not already resigned in December 2022.

Hertfordshire Chief Constable Charlie Hall said: "I expect the highest standards of behaviour, honesty and conduct from all officers and staff in Hertfordshire Constabulary and there is no place for those who fail to meet them.

"The officers in question have been rightly dismissed and I hope this will reassure the public that we will act on all instances of misconduct by the very few who do not reflect the professionalism and integrity of the majority of our officers and staff."

After the encounters in February 2022, the female Police Constable later alleged in October 2022 that they had been non-consensual, which the male denied.

He was interviewed under caution as part of a criminal investigation into the claims, and while no action was taken, he later submitted his resignation admitting gross misconduct.

The hearings in Welwyn Garden City in December last year and January heard how the pair had exchanged sexual messages and she sent a video of herself in her underwear in front of a mirror.

She said she responded in similar terms after first receiving the explicit messages because she worried for potential consequences for her career, as she was 20 years old and had been a constable for 18 months while he was 26 at the time.

The panel said that there had been “no meaningful evidence of insight and remorse” and no evidence the relationship would have ended if not for intervention by other people.

Although it was heard the female officer had since “changed and developed and had potential to be an officer consummate to her rank and service”, it concluded that she had not conducted herself to the standard expected by police and the public.

The male constable was asked why he had attended the hearing given he had left the force, and he told the panel he wished to express how sorry he was but wanted to dispute suggestions that the relationship had been non-consensual.