Dorset Police 'deeply shocked' after officer is jailed for attacking girlfriend

DORSET Police say Matthew Cherry’s actions have “deeply shocked” officers and staff.

Senior investigating officer DI Stewart Balmer said: “This was a dreadful and calculated attack on a pregnant woman, made all the more chilling because Cherry was a police officer at the time he planned and carried out this shocking assault.”

He said Cherry used his police knowledge in an attempt to throw detectives off his trail.

But DI Balmer added that it was testament to the hard work of the investigation team and Miss Craft’s bravery that his “dishonest and wicked behaviour was exposed to the jury”.

Deputy chief constable Debbie Simpson said: “The details of this case have deeply shocked police officers and staff across the force. As an organisation committed to serving and protecting our communities it is appalling to discover that one officer’s actions have fallen so very far short of the high standards and behaviour expected.”

Comments(8)

Benny Dorm says...
8:52pm Fri 7 Sep 12

In general, about this story I would say there was clearly a bad apple in the barrel but I can't see what the police could have done to stop him being hired. As someone said earlier, the police could hardly have put an 'I am a violent wife/girlfriend/unbo
rn baby beater - tick Y/N on the police application form. He clearly passed all the checks and had no previous - but this does not mean he was not capable of doing something awful in the future.

It's a bit like CRB checks for a teacher or child care person. Just because they have passed a CRB check it does not mean that they are not potentially a peadophile as all it means is that they have not been done for breaking any laws.

I would say hats off to Dorset Police, clearly they did not shirk from relentlessly pursuing one of their own and making sure he was put before the courts. One bad apple does not a bad barrel make.

jbland says...
8:22am Sat 8 Sep 12

police officers are not immune from such behaviour ,its just another maggot who cant contain his violet tendancies it is even worse that he has had free reign to proscecute and judge others wrong doing out on the streets whilst being the worst of a bad bunch ,he wont be the only one

street warrior says...
9:41am Sat 8 Sep 12

Deputy chief constable Debbie Simpson said: “ it is appalling to discover that one officer’s actions have fallen so very far short of the high standards and behaviour expected. ## ONE## just the one? really, what about other corrupt officers in the force who get away with things such as stealing, speeding, drink driveing extra marital affairs they get away with it because their colleagues cover for them, because it's the old boy's club”

jbland says...
10:12am Sat 8 Sep 12

street warrior wrote:
Deputy chief constable Debbie Simpson said: “ it is appalling to discover that one officer’s actions have fallen so very far short of the high standards and behaviour expected. ## ONE## just the one? really, what about other corrupt officers in the force who get away with things such as stealing, speeding, drink driveing extra marital affairs they get away with it because their colleagues cover for them, because it's the old boy's club”
and thats a fact - a few years back the chief constable of Poole got done for drink driving and the the other guy whos name slips my memory ,was it Andrew Morton ,drove his car into a bungalow ,whilst speeding and on a mobile phone ,which killed him. you see them on the TV talking down to people because the uniform gives them a bit of power and then they display the same flaws as the rest of us and are even worse ,look how this moron treated this woman and her unborn child - the man is sick and now wants to play the role of dad . what is he thinking of - well hes got plenty of time to contemplate his mistake

tottymush says...
10:40am Sat 8 Sep 12

just goes to show police lie all the time???????? rot in hell pc plod

billd766 says...
2:51am Sun 9 Sep 12

tottymush wrote:
just goes to show police lie all the time???????? rot in hell pc plod
So if somebody breaks into your house, assaults and injures you and your family, steals all your belongings, drives off in your car and smashes it up when escaping, who ya gonna call, Ghostbusters?

renea says...
7:19am Sun 9 Sep 12

billd766 wrote:
tottymush wrote:
just goes to show police lie all the time???????? rot in hell pc plod
So if somebody breaks into your house, assaults and injures you and your family, steals all your belongings, drives off in your car and smashes it up when escaping, who ya gonna call, Ghostbusters?
well said, I am not saying all police are angels but it seems they get a lot of stick and then as soon as there is a bit of bother they are the first people needed. I wouldn't want to be a copper, you go around nicking the bad guys and then some out of date court system just goes and lets them out again!!

YouKnowWhatYouDid says...
7:38am Mon 10 Sep 12

renea wrote:
billd766 wrote:
tottymush wrote:
just goes to show police lie all the time???????? rot in hell pc plod
So if somebody breaks into your house, assaults and injures you and your family, steals all your belongings, drives off in your car and smashes it up when escaping, who ya gonna call, Ghostbusters?
well said, I am not saying all police are angels but it seems they get a lot of stick and then as soon as there is a bit of bother they are the first people needed. I wouldn't want to be a copper, you go around nicking the bad guys and then some out of date court system just goes and lets them out again!!
I agree. We watch loads of police real-life programmes and every night you can guarantee someone was let off due to lack of evidence. It must be very frustrating for them and especially if that person is known to them / on the intelligence database. One day the person will slip up properly and be caught - we just have to trust in that.
Still on the plus side there are times when they get caught (go through the obligatory "it wasn't me", "get off me, you're hurting me", "the cuffs are too tight", "this is racism" (no it's what you're suspected of, not the colour of your skin) and "I'll f****** do you when I see you" script with affected spitting etc) and the best one recently was a par of lads done for TWOK who were tracked down by a police dog and helicopter and other manpower. They were most put out when the dog bit them! Made my night to see them positively outraged and then quickly very obedient when they realised the dog might have second helpings. Don't want a police dog staring you in the face?... as always don't put yourself in that situation in the first place lads, eh?

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