Cleveland Police officer still not back at work despite winning appeal against assault conviction

A Cleveland Police officer who had a conviction for assaulting his ex-partner quashed more than a month ago still hasn’t returned to work.

Kaljit Sander had the conviction for assaulting his ex-partner overturned following a two-day appeal hearing in which he was acquitted of the crime at Newcastle Crown Court.

But despite Mr Sander having cleared his name last month, a Cleveland Police spokeswoman told The Gazette: “The officer is not currently at work”.

Cleveland Police had previously said, after his initial conviction, that Mr Sander was not “currently working” and that an internal inquiry had been launched.

On that occasion a force spokeswoman said: “Hearings do not take place until any criminal matters have been dealt with, taking into account the time allowed for an individual to appeal through the courts.”

The force declined to say whether the internal inquiry is still ongoing.

Mr Sander had originally been found guilty after a trial at North Tyneside Magistrates’ Court in August, and in October, he was given a 16-week suspended sentence at Newcastle Magistrates’ Court.

However the 33-year-old maintained his innocence throughout and launched an appeal to clear his name.

At the appeal held at Newcastle Crown Court in December, the 26-year-old complainant alleged that Mr Sander attacked her at her home in January last year with blows to the face after she told him she had slept with another man.

However, Richard Herrmann representing Mr Sander, told the court that there were inconsistencies in her accounts in her police statements and evidence in court.

He also said that her version of events did not tally with the lack of injuries she received as a result of the alleged incident.

Having listened to the evidence, which included live evidence from the complainant and Mr Sander, Recorder Richard Gioserano and two magistrates were unanimous in their decision to quash the conviction.

When Mr Sander was sentenced in October, as well as the suspended sentence, he was ordered to pay £500 court costs, £250 compensation and £80 victim surcharge, all of which were also quashed.

Mr Sander was listed on the Police.UK website as part of the local policing team for Linthorpe, Middlesbrough, but his name was removed late last year and currently remains unlisted.