A FORMER East Lancashire detective accused of misconduct has claimed ‘sexual’ remarks made towards another officer were taken out of context.

On the fourth day of the hearing at Leyland Police Station, Detective Inspector Jeremy Holland, who denies misconduct, gave evidence for the first time.

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An independent panel heard Det Insp Holland admitted calling another officer, who was referred to as Witness A, ‘cute’ and ‘sexy’.

He also told the panel he said to the woman ‘When are you going to give in to me?’, ‘Sex is a good way of relieving stress’ and ‘You need to say nice things to me. I am nice to you’, but said they were not part of the same conversation and denied they were said with the intention of propositioning Witness A for sex.

Det Insp Holland denied he had a conversation with Witness A where he made reference to using the date rape drug Rohypnol on her. But he did tell the hearing he had started a one-on-one meeting with Witness A by saying ‘You are really fit’.

Det Insp Holland said: “Looking back it is just a completely and utterly unprofessional approach to what was supposed to be a professional meeting between myself and the officer. It was intended as an icebreaker. It was completely unprofessional and I regret ever saying it.”

Det Insp Holland accepted he sent Witness A a text message saying ‘When are we going to resolve this sexual tension?’ but said it was ‘banter’ in response to things other officers had said.

He denied organising a trip to Merseyside with Witness A just to get her alone.

He accepted he sent Witness A a text with emojis of two smiley faces, winking with love hearts coming from them and that he followed that text with another with two kisses on the end.

But he said realised he had earlier upset Witness A and was his way of apologising.

Det Insp Holland told the hearing at a Christmas party he told another female colleague, referred to as Witness B, ‘I like your pants. But they would look a lot better on my floor’, but said it was intended as a humorous remark.

He said: “It was nothing more than making what I thought at the time was a witty and humourous remark. I had heard it on a number of occasions previously in various sitcoms or humorous situations.”

Representing Det Insp Holland, Christopher Hopkins asked his client if he had placed his hands on top of another female colleague’s hands, referred to as Witness E, at a leaving party.

He replied: “No. That did not happen.” Asked if he had ever touched the woman inappropriately he responded: “No, Not intentionally.”