Jail threat after policeman admits sexually assaulting woman on night out

Michael Johnson, 37 a Humberside police officer, was off-duty at the time the offence was committed on May 27 and he was later suspended from work after being charged.

He will be sentenced next month.

Bradford Crown Court heard that the officer had faced three allegations of sexual assault relating to two women, but prosecutor Jeremy Hill-Baker confirmed that his guilty plea to one offence was acceptable. “This is a sensitive case which has received a good deal of careful consideration by those instructing me and the investigating officers,’’ said Mr Hill-Baker.

“The prosecution have decided that they would not seek a trial on counts one and two.

“I have consulted with senior officers at the Crown Prosecution Service and the complainant.”

The full details of the case were not disclosed in court but Johnson’s barrister, Christopher Dunn, said he had entered his plea on a basis which was acceptable to the prosecution.

Neither of the women involved in the case can be identified for legal reasons.

Mr Dunn submitted that the offence fell into the lowest category of the sentencing guidelines and there were powerful reasons to deal with Johnson’s case immediately.

But Judge John Potter said he did not think, on the face of it, that a financial penalty or a discharge would be appropriate and he ordered a full pre-sentence report on Johnson without giving him any indication of the sentence.

The judge told Johnson, who is married to a solicitor working for the CPS, that he had pleaded guilty to a serious matter and he wanted as much information before him as possible before considering the appropriate sentence.

Judge Potter decided not to make Johnson subject to an interim sex offender notification requirement at this stage and any such order will be determined by the type of sentence he receives.

Johnson had his unconditional bail extended.