Disgraced police officer avoids jail after he left female colleague crying ...

Disgraced police officer avoids jail after he left female colleague crying ...
Disgraced police officer avoids jail after he left female colleague crying ...

A disgraced Derbyshire police officer has avoided jail after he left a new female colleague 'distraught' and crying after he harassed her in a police station. 

Mark Knights, 35, harassed the officer at Matlock police station between August and October 2020, while he was being investigated for headbutting a member of the public while on duty.   

In a statement read out in court by prosecutors, the victim said: 'I was struggling to fight back the tears. I was distraught and could not control my emotions. I spent nights at home just crying. I can't explain why. 

'It was predatory. He thought I was new in service and thought he could get away with it. I never expected that I would have to deal with this at work. I'm a strong person but I had to say something.'   

Knights asked the victim to 'come and sit on my ****' and wrote in her A5 notepad 'I'm going to try and not be a ****. Truce/sex/carry on as normal?', Southern Derbyshire Magistrates' Court heard. 

His own barrister described his behaviour as 'immature' and 'stupid'. 

Mark Knights harassed the officer at Matlock police station between August and October 2020, while he was being investigated for headbutting a member of the public while on duty

Mark Knights harassed the officer at Matlock police station between August and October 2020, while he was being investigated for headbutting a member of the public while on duty

Prosecutors said that a police investigation into the incident, which is ongoing, involved statements from a number of officers and over 500 pages of documents. 

The offence happened while Knights, of Tagg Lane, Monyash, was effectively on bail for the assault on a member of the public in Belper in November 2019, of which he was found guilty in December 2020. 

That verdict saw him sacked from his role as a constable with Derbyshire Constabulary in March 2021. 

Debbie Hubbard, defending, said that November 2019 was the beginning of a low period in Knights' life after he was not selected to become a firearms officer due to fitness issues. 

The subsequent assault on driver Ben Joynes took place on the morning of November 21, 2019. 

Knights told his victim to '**** off', called him a 'fat ****' then headbutted and handcuffed him following an altercation in Ambergate, near Belper. 

The incident was sparked when Mr Joynes told the officer he was unable to move his car to let a police van through because he was blocked in. 

Knights claimed the sales manager was being obstructive and swore at Mr Joynes then assaulted him. 

His violent actions saw the officer carrying out menial tasks such as cleaning cars, which meant he spent most of his days at Matlock police station where he harassed his female colleague in one of the station's parade rooms. 

Ms Hubbard said: 'He pleaded guilty to harassment on the basis of two inappropriate interactions. 

'He was bored, immature and behaving in a childish and stupid manner. He's a grown man who is used to being on the

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