Police Officer Sentenced for Threatening to Kidnap, Rape, and Murder Woman He Met on Tinder

Strategic Insights -

A district judge has decided not to jail Andrew Holmes, a former police officer who made a menacing and disgusting comment to a woman he met on Tinder, threatening to kidnap, rape, and murder her. Holmes was serving with Hampshire Police when he made the comment in August last year, just three years after the murder of Sarah Everard by a Met police officer. Despite being arrested and found guilty of all charges, Holmes was given a six-week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, and must carry out 100 hours of unpaid work and pay £500 compensation to the victim.

Key Takeaways:

  • Andrew Holmes, a 32-year-old former police officer, made a chilling comment to a woman he met on Tinder, threatening to kidnap, rape, and murder her, and burning her body.
  • Holmes was arrested at his home in Southampton and found to have an extendable police baton in his bedside drawer, which he was not meant to have.
  • A police misconduct hearing in March led to Holmes being sacked from the force.
  • Holmes was found guilty of all charges, including sending an offensive, indecent, obscene, or menacing message by public communication network and having an offensive weapon in a private place.
  • Rosa Bennathan, defending, described Holmes as a "man of good character" who expressed real remorse for his actions.
  • Judge Mike Snow stated that it was astonishing that anyone would think it was appropriate to send messages referencing kidnap, rape, murder, and burning of the body, and that it had a profound effect on the victim.

Statistics:

  • Holmes was given a six-week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months.
  • He must carry out 100 hours of unpaid work.
  • Holmes must pay £500 compensation to the victim and prosecution costs of £650.
  • He received a £200 fine for the baton offence.
  • Holmes was required to pay a £154 victim surcharge.

Sources:

  • Byline: Ruth Stainer IN A chilling echo of the Sarah Everard case, a police officer told a woman he met on Tinder he would kidnap, rape and murder her, a court heard. (Source: The Daily Mail, [no date])
  • [Source 2: Poole Magistrates' Court heard that Holmes had a "short conversation" with the woman on Tinder last year.] (Source: [no date])
  • [Source 3: In a statement, read by prosecutor Leah Dillon, the victim said:] (Source: [no date])
  • [Source 4: Holmes was arrested at his home in Southampton on August 18, and found to have an extendable police baton in his bedside drawer.] (Source: [no date])
  • [Source 5: Holmes was sacked from the force following a police misconduct hearing in March.] (Source: [no date])
  • [Source 6: Judge Mike Snow stated that it was astonishing that anyone would think it was appropriate to send messages referencing kidnap, rape, murder, and burning of the body.] (Source: [no date])