A misconduct hearing has begun into the conduct of six Lincolnshire Police officers following the search of a mentally-ill woman who was hiding drugs inside her.

A police watchdog says that it robbed the vulnerable woman of her dignity, with a bodycam recording and male officers present.

Sgt James Rowe, PC Laren Mounde, PC Liam Elder, SC Ellie Denton and SC Dillon Horgan, who are stationed at Lincoln and Gainsborough police stations, deny all of the misconduct allegations against them.

PC Hannah Sleath, who carried out the intimate search, accepts that some aspects of the search were misconduct but denies that it amounts to gross misconduct.

placeholder image — Grantham Police Station

The woman, identified only as Ms A, was detained under the Mental Health Act on July 16 2024 after claiming she would hurt herself.

She was transported to the Peter Hodgkinson Centre in Lincoln County Hospital, where she was searched, but medical staff later saw her with tablets.

Police carried out a second search, recorded on bodycam, when Ms A was touched around and inside her vagina in order to find drugs hidden there.

The allegations have been brought by the Independent Office for Police Conduct.

PC Liam Elder, PC Hannah Sleath, SC Ellie Denton and SC Dillon Horgan have been accused of breaching the standards of professional behaviour regarding use of force, duties and responsibilities, discreditable conduct, and authority, respect and courtesy.

Sgt James Rowe is accused of breaching the standards of duties and responsibilities, as well as challenging and reporting improper conduct.

PC Laren Mounde is accused of breaching the standards of duties and responsibilities, discreditable conduct and authority, respect and courtesy.

PC Hannah Sleath accepts that the second intimate search was wrong, but says she was acting in good faith.

She also says that activating her bodycam for the search amounted to misconduct, but not gross misconduct.

All others deny all allegations and will have an opportunity to make statements later in the hearing.

The hearing is scheduled for 11 days and is being held at Grantham Police Station.

The first day heard evidence from Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Trust workers who had interacted with Ms A that night.

“A colleague came to me for advice because police wanted to do an internal search,” one employee, who has also been granted anonymity, said.

“I clearly told the police: ‘We cannot do that here’, and the response I got was ‘Yes, we can.’

“There are no internal searches allowed on trust property – it has never happened.

“We normally have a good relationship with Ms A and she will often hand items over voluntarily. If not, then we ask the police to take the patients to A&E.”

The hearing continues.