An ex-police officer has categorically denied ‘groping’ a colleague while on a night out.

Alexander Parkes accepts that he could have inadvertently touched her bottom while they were in a busy city centre bar but maintained there was no sexual motive.

The ex-Cleveland Police officer is alleged to have placed his hand on the woman’s back before slowly sliding it down onto her bum and squeezing it during a night out in Durham last year.

He was spotted by another colleague when he repeated his unwanted behaviour while they were standing at the bar in the Slug and Lettuce on May 15 last year, a misconduct hearing was told.

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During his evidence, the ex-officer said that the witnesses were mistaken if they thought there was any intention of him deliberately touching his colleague’s bum.

He said: “I cannot recall moving my hand to her bottom.”

Joan Smith, representing the ex-officer, asked: “Did you squeeze any part of her bottom?”

He replied: “I could have squeezed her side but that was part of our conversation – pulling her close to talk.”

Miss Smith continued: "At any stage do you recall rubbing your hand on her bottom?” He replied: “No, not at all.”

When asked whether the woman had said anything to him at the time he was accused of touching her bum, he replied: “Not at all.”

And the ex-officer, who is the son of two police officers, denied that he fled the scene when he saw a senior officer staring at him when he caught touching her bum.

Russell Fortt, representing the force, dismissed Mr Parkes’ claim that he had inadvertently touch the woman’s bum when he was talking to her.

He said: “Do you accept that you squeezed her bum?” Mr Parkes replied: “I don’t and if I did it was inadvertent.”

During her evidence, the complainant said she was shocked by her colleague’s behaviour but accepted that she didn’t confront him at the time.

She said: “He had his hand on my back and it went slowly down until he was squeezing my right bum cheek.

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“It felt like it lasted a few seconds.”

Earlier in the hearing, Temporary Sergeant Chris Dove told the panel that he initially thought the pair may have been in a relationship and the act was consensual but his opinion changed after he spoke to the woman.

He said: “She didn’t want him to do it but didn’t feel like she could move his hand out of the way.”

If it is proven that the allegations amount to gross misconduct the ex-officer will be placed on the College of Policing’s barred list which will prevent him from working for any other force in the country.

The independent panel will give its ruling on Friday morning.