PC Pamela Pritchard’s career with North Wales Police came to an abrupt and public end this week after a misconduct panel found her guilty of gross misconduct for drunkenly groping two colleagues and attempting to kiss a senior officer during a leaving party at Caernarfon Rugby Club in March 2024. The four-day hearing, held in Colwyn Bay and concluding on December 4, 2025, laid bare a night of excessive drinking, inappropriate behaviour, and the weighty expectations placed upon those in uniform—even when off duty.
The incident unfolded during what should have been a routine farewell gathering for a colleague. According to testimony presented at the hearing and reported by BBC News, PC Pritchard, 29, was among a large group of officers attending the party. After consuming alcohol, she engaged in a series of actions that panel chair Assistant Chief Constable Chris Allsop described as "of medium to high seriousness which could justify dismissal as gross misconduct."
Multiple colleagues recounted their discomfort and humiliation. One male officer, referred to throughout the proceedings as PC B, described how Pritchard twice put her hand on his genitals outside his clothing—once at the bar and again later in the smoking area. "To no extent was it appropriate – I felt kind of humiliated at that point," he told the panel. Later that evening, she sat on his knee and kissed him on the lips in public, an act he called increasingly unacceptable as the night wore on.
Another female colleague, identified only as PC A, described how Pritchard approached her from behind on the dance floor, put her arms around her neck, slid them under her armpits, and grabbed her breasts. CCTV footage played for the panel showed Pritchard "twerking"—engaging in suggestive dance moves—before the incident. PC A testified that the groping was uninvited and left her deeply uncomfortable.
There were further allegations: Pritchard tried to kiss Inspector Gareth Parry at the bar, causing him to pull away, and told another male officer, PC Sion Jarvis, "I want to f*** you," repeating the phrase several times before calling him a derogatory name. At another point in the night, she reportedly declared, "I'm the biggest lesbian here and I'll fight any man," a statement she later denied reflected her sexual orientation, telling the hearing, "I am straight. I am not a lesbian."
Throughout the proceedings, Pritchard’s own words revealed deep regret and distress. She admitted her behaviour was "inappropriate" and insisted, "I've never acted like that before. I'm absolutely mortified at what's happened – I don't recognise the person I see on that CCTV – all I can do is apologise." She broke down in tears, telling the panel, "I've let down the police force, myself, my friends and family and most of all I've let down my little girl. Please don't think I've gone away and I haven't thought about this from the moment I woke up to the moment I go to sleep." She described experiencing panic attacks, nightmares, and feeling as though people viewed her as a "sexual predator."
Pritchard, who joined North Wales Police as a trainee in 2023 after stints as an NHS worker and prison guard, was still in her probationary period at the time of the incident. She denied any sexual intent behind her actions, claiming that any contact was accidental and that the kiss with PC B was consensual. She also maintained that she had "no recollection" of much of the evening, attributing her behaviour to being "clearly very intoxicated."
Her barrister, Fiona Clancy, argued for leniency, suggesting a final written warning rather than dismissal. "There is no risk of repetition of the misconduct again. This was a short-lived episode," Clancy told the panel, emphasizing that Pritchard had engaged in voluntary work and kept fit while awaiting the hearing, demonstrating a "genuine motivation to keep serving the community." The defense also highlighted the significant mental health impact the case had on Pritchard, suggesting that a severe sanction short of dismissal would suffice.
But the panel, led by ACC Allsop, was unconvinced. "The panel finds that the breaches of standards are of medium to high seriousness which could justify dismissal as gross misconduct," he said, adding that there was "harm impacting on the well-being of victims of which there are multiple." There was a real risk, he noted, of undermining the trust and confidence of both the victims and the wider public in the police service if such behaviour was not addressed appropriately. He remarked on the privileged position police officers hold and the public’s expectation that they exercise their authority professionally, even off duty: "We don’t consider a final written warning is sufficient. The panel acknowledge everyone, including police officers, can make mistakes. However, there is a point where conduct is of such a serious nature as is the behaviour in this case that only the ultimate sanction is available."
Assistant Chief Constable Allsop also pointed to the current climate of national scrutiny over police behaviour, noting that "the outcome should be the same regardless" of the officer’s gender. The panel recommended that Pritchard be added to the police barred list, ensuring she would not be able to serve with any other UK force.
North Wales Police Deputy Chief Constable Nigel Harrison echoed the panel’s sentiments in a statement after the verdict. "PC Pritchard’s behaviour fell far below the standard we expect of our police officers. As with anyone else there is no issue with officers when off duty relaxing and enjoying themselves but her behaviour that night was simply not acceptable by anyone’s standards. She has rightly been dismissed, bringing to an end her very short career with us and preventing her from serving with any other UK force."
The case has prompted reflection within North Wales Police and beyond about the standards of behaviour required from those in positions of trust, the seriousness with which breaches are treated, and the importance of accountability. While Pritchard’s supporters argued her actions were out of character and unlikely to recur, the panel’s decision underlines the zero-tolerance approach to misconduct, particularly when it undermines the confidence of colleagues and the public in the police service.
For Pritchard, the consequences are life-changing. She leaves the force not only with her career in tatters but also with the burden of public scrutiny and personal remorse. The hearing’s outcome sends a clear message: the standards of professional behaviour expected of police officers are non-negotiable, and breaches—no matter the circumstances—will be met with the severest consequences.
