Paul Hinchliffe: South Yorkshire cop who sexually assaulted teenager in pub could be jailed

PC Paul Hinchcliffe, aged 46, was drinking at The Church House pub in Wath-Upon-Dearne on October 3, 2020, when he began a campaign of humiliating the 18-year-old. After making sexually suggestive comments, who took a photo of her and began showing it to other people.

Soon after, the dad-of-four flicked beer foam from his pint at her chest area, before he reached over, pulled her top down and took another photo.

Now, Hinchcliffe is awaiting sentencing after he was found guilty of sexual assault following a trial at Leeds Crown Court on January 10. During the hearing, he sat with his head in his hands and could be heard sobbing when the guilty verdict was announced yesterday.

So how severe a sentence can he get when he returns to court?

Sentencing guidelines for sexual assault sort offenders into different categories. First, they ask how culpable the offender was, which is affected by whether there was a degree of planning, whether there was an abuse of trust, and if the offence was recorded through photographs or video.

Then, the offending is sorted into one of three categories of harm caused, with category one being the most severe. Category one offences can involve severe psychological or physical harm, abduction, and threats of violence. Category two includes physical touching of someone’s private areas, if there was additional degradation and humiliation, and if the victim was particularly vulnerable.

Finally, there are a large number of aggravating factors that can be considered, such as if the offender was drunk, where the offence took place, and if it was committed in the presence of children.

There are also mitigating factors, such as whether the offender is remorseful and if of previous good character.

Depending on how culpable the judge decides the disgraced PC is, the starting point for a prison sentence will likely to be either one year or two years behind bars. If he is sentenced to two years or less in prison, the judge can choose to suspend the sentence.

The minimum sentence available for an offence of sexual assault is a high-level community order, which would be likely to include an electronically monitored curfew and restrictions.

Hinchcliffe will return to court next month to be sentenced after reports are carried out.

South Yorkshire Police said when the incident was reported to the force’s Professional Standards Department, an investigation was launched. In interview, Hinchcliffe answered ‘no comment’ to all questions put to him.

CCTV obtained from The Church House as well as the photographs taken by Hinchcliffe on his mobile phone were obtained and used as part of the case.

Hinchcliffe, who worked in South Yorkshire Police’s training department, is suspended from duties and an internal misconduct investigation is under way.

His victim said that after the incident in the pub, she went home and “just sat on the settee and cried”. “It was all so weird and awful,” she added.