A Scottish police officer convicted of sexual assault continues to receive his salary despite the serious charges against him
Glenrothes: A police officer in Scotland, David McQuade, has been found guilty of sexually assaulting a colleague. Despite this serious conviction, he’s still getting paid.
McQuade, who’s 52, assaulted a junior officer at the Glenrothes police station back in October 2022. He’s been suspended since the complaint was made over two years ago but has kept his £48,000 annual salary without doing any police work.
It’s pretty shocking, right? He’s even received pay raises during his suspension, totaling over £100,000. The incident happened while he was on duty, and the court heard he pressured the woman into sexual acts and made unwanted advances.
He was found guilty at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court and is now on the sex offenders’ register. Sentencing is coming up next month, and he’ll also face an internal police investigation to see if he’ll be fired.
Scottish Labour’s justice spokeswoman, Pauline McNeill, expressed outrage, saying that officers convicted of serious crimes like this should be dealt with immediately. The public is understandably upset about taxpayers covering his wages after such predatory behavior.
Interestingly, McQuade isn’t the only officer in hot water this week. Another constable, Peter Fleming, has also been accused of inappropriate behavior towards female colleagues. It seems like there’s a bigger issue at play here.
Concerns are growing about sexism and misogyny within the police force. A recent report highlighted that these attitudes are still widespread, making it tough for women officers to advance in their careers.
Wendy Chamberlain, a former police officer and current MP, pointed out that this kind of behavior, often brushed off as “banter,” has been damaging for too long. She’s calling for better training and stricter consequences for misconduct.
Chief Superintendent Helen Harrison acknowledged McQuade’s conviction and stated that his actions fall far below the expected standards in policing. She praised the victim for coming forward, emphasizing the importance of reporting such crimes.
