A former Norfolk police officer who sexually assaulted two people has been sentenced.

Ben Poole, age 26, was found guilty of one count of sexual assault on a man and another count of sexual assault on a woman in Norwich on 1 October 2022 following a four-day trial at Ipswich Crown Court last month.

The jury found him not guilty of sexual assault on another woman on the same evening.

He appeared at Ipswich Crown Court today (Friday 29 August 2025) and was placed on the sex offender register for five years, fined £2,000 for the two counts of sexual assault (£1,000 for each count), ordered to pay £3000 costs and a surcharge of £800.

During the trial, the court heard the assaults involved Poole sexually touching the victims without their consent during the course of an evening while he was off duty, and celebrating a birthday at a Norwich nightspot. He was asked to leave the nightspot by security due to his drunkenness.

Poole was a serving police officer based in the Great Yarmouth area at the time the offences took place. He was suspended as soon as the allegations were reported to the constabulary’s Professional Standards Department (PSD).

The constabulary’s misconduct process was paused until the end of the criminal investigation and subsequent trial so as not to prejudice any criminal proceedings.

Poole was subsequently dismissed from the force for gross misconduct at an accelerated misconduct hearing on 18 August 2025.

Chief Constable Paul Sanford said: “I expect the highest standards of behaviour, honesty and conduct from all those employed in the constabulary.

"I want to thank the victims and witnesses who came forward and told us what happened. It is because of them, their courage and resilience that we have been able to put Poole before the court.

“The public rightly expects officers to uphold the law when on and off duty. This type of behaviour is wholly reprehensible and has no place in society or policing.”