Former chief superintendent Rob Cousen took ‘early retirement’ to avoid a disciplinary hearing which concluded he was guilty of gross misconduct
16:17, 01 Dec 2025Updated 16:18, 01 Dec 2025
Rob Cousen has left GMP in disgrace(Image: GMP)
A senior police officer retired from Greater Manchester Police hours before a disciplinary hearing found he pursued a junior female colleague and then texted her a picture of his penis.
Rob Cousen, a high-flying officer who rose to become the commander of GMP’s Tameside division, snubbed the disciplinary hearing held at the force’s headquarters today (December 1), which concluded he was guilty of gross misconduct and would have been sacked had he not retired a matter of hours before.
A panel ruled Cousen’s conduct was ‘sexually motivated throughout’ and he pursued a ‘sexual and inappropriate relationship’ with the more junior female officer over a ‘long period of time’. Cousen, who earned about £100,000-a-year as a chief superintendent, was suspended in October 2022.
Outlining the case for the chief constable, John Beggs KC described how the senior officer had an inappropriate relationship with a junior female officer.
The former chief superintendent had admitted gross misconduct but had retired at midnight – some ten hours before the hearing started – and so he had ‘ceased to be’ a police officer, said the KC.
He ‘obtained’ the personal phone number of the more junior officer, sending her texts, ‘flirting’ with her and seeking to meet her outside work hours, said the KC.
The top cop was accused of contacting her ‘when you were drunk and with friends outside work hours’, the lawyer told the hearing.
Cousen offered the female a temporary post at a higher rank even though she had not asked for a promotion and nor was she qualified to take up the post, said Mr Beggs.
The KC said Cousen sent the woman ‘unsolicited photos of your penis and your face on your personal phone on more than two occasions’.
The conduct was a breach of required standards of ‘integrity’ and also standards of ‘authority, respect and courtesy’ in that he ‘showed no self-control and respect’ for the officer, said Mr Beggs, who said the behaviour amounted to ‘gross misconduct’.
Former Chf Supt Rob Cousen(Image: M.E.N Media)
On November 17 this year, Cousen told GMP through his lawyer he would admit the ‘revised charge in its entirety’, said the KC. The barrister said the chief constable, referred to during the hearing as ‘the appropriate authority’, was ‘content with these admissions’.
Mr Beggs told the disciplinary panel that the original charges Cousen faced were ‘more expansive’ although these earlier charges were not outlined.
He said among the reasons the chief constable had deemed Cousen’s admissions to the revised charge ‘to be sufficient’ was that a bigger case would potentially involve ‘many others’ and there was a ‘considerable saving’ in costs.
Kate Halpin, of the Police Superintendents’ Association, spoke during the hearing for Cousen, who was not present. She said Cousen had sent an email to her and he ‘decided he’s not obliged to attend’. Ms Halpin said Cousen’s attendance was ‘not compellable’.
Ms Halpin referred the disciplinary panel to 60 pages of character testimonials, awards and commendations, adding that the former officer ‘deeply regrets his actions and the hurt he’s caused particularly his family’.
The retired officer had said ‘ultimately there are no winners’ and he hoped people involved would be able to ‘move on’ with their lives, said Ms Halpin. He admitted his behaviour was ‘not conducive to being a police officer’, she told the hearing.
He accepted his position ‘is untenable and hence his early retirement’, said Ms Halpin. The retired cop offered his ‘sincere and heartfelt apologies’ to the panel, colleagues in GMP and the public ‘due his actions which led to his fall from grace’, said Ms Halpin.
The chair of the disciplinary panel Debra Tedds, who retired as former chief constable of Warwickshire Police last year, concluded the former chief superintendent was guilty of a ‘clear case of gross misconduct’ and that he would have been dismissed without notice had he not already left the force.
She also recommended his name was added to College of Policing ‘barred list’ which means, if added, he would be prevented from returning to work inside policing.
She noted there was a ‘power imbalance’ between Cousen and the female officer and that he ‘abused his position’ to offer her a promotion. Cousen’s conduct was ‘sexually motivated throughout’ and he pursued a ‘sexual and inappropriate relationship’ over a ‘long period of time’, she said.
Ms Tedds, noting the testimonials submitted for Cousin, said: “He’s clearly supported many victims and their families over his long career. He’s brought his own career to a premature end.”