LONDON — A former police inspector in the United Kingdom has been handed a 10-year prison sentence after being found guilty of sexually abusing 18 young men during unlawful strip searches conducted while the victims were in custody, according to prosecutors.
Gerard Hutchings, 67, used his rank as a senior officer to take advantage of his victims, who ranged in age from 17 to 31. He carried out the unjustified searches in private, keeping them hidden from fellow officers.
The crimes occurred between 1999 and 2007. Hutchings was convicted on five counts of indecent assault, five counts of causing a person to engage in sexual activity without consent, and one count of misconduct in public office. He had also previously entered guilty pleas to 17 additional counts of misconduct in public office.
Senior prosecutor Anthony Johns addressed the case in a statement, saying, “Gerard Hutchings carried out a sustained abuse of power, using his position as a police inspector to target young men who were entitled to expect lawful and professional treatment.”
