A racist British Transport Police officer who belittled, controlled and intimidated two ex-partners would have been fired had he not resigned, a misconduct hearing has found.
Sergeant Ian Koch, based in central London, used “repugnant” language towards one woman.
In text messages, he frequently called her a “p***” between 2018 and 2020, a gross misconduct panel heard.
The witness – known only as Ms A – also said he’d label her a “c***” because her skin darkened when exposed to the sun.
Koch would also “degrade and humiliate” her during an unusual practice in the bath.
Ms A told how the officer forced her to send an email to a work supervisor in which she referred to herself as a “whore” for kissing a colleague. He would call her “retarded”, “stinky” and a “cold-hearted b****”.
A second woman – Ms B – said Koch engaged in the same demeaning acts when she was in the shower or bath and subjected her to name-calling with “racial undertones”.
For example, she was known as an “egg” – part of a highly offensive Cockney rhyming slang for a black person.
Nicknaming Ms B as “Flabby”, he pointed to the underneath of her arms and sent her links to clothes she should be wearing.
Koch was also in the habit of pulling down both women’s trousers in public, it was said.
The victims – who suffered psychological distress – reported allegations to the Cambridgeshire and Kent Police forces but no criminal proceedings were brought in either case.
Ms A said a six-year relationship with Koch left her “shattered”, while Ms B – who dated him for seven months – would spend weekends “crying to herself all day”.
However, legally qualified chair Arwel Jones, who led the disciplinary hearing, said three of Koch’s colleagues provided statements detailing his excellent qualities since joining BTP in 2008.
A fellow sergeant claimed he could be a “kind-hearted, good-natured person with a fantastic sense of humour”.
But Mr Jones said Koch’s evidence throughout the process had been untruthful as he attempted to paint himself as a victim.
He did not attend the hearing and denied the allegations via a written response.
In his absence, it was found Koch breached standards of discreditable conduct, authority, respect, courtesy and professional behaviour to a gross misconduct level leading to immediate dismissal.
Mr Jones added: “The panel reached the view that the officer’s conduct towards both Ms A and Ms B was abusive, oppressive, harassing, bullying, victimising and offensive.
“Public confidence and the reputation of policing would potentially be damaged by knowledge of a police officer acting in such a way within his personal relationships.
“There is understandable widespread public concern about police officers who behave violently or in an intimidatory way against women and girls.
“The public would also be clearly appalled to learn of a police officer freely bandying racist terms, even in the context of private relationships.”
Mr Jones added Koch’s behaviour was “partly driven by misogyny” and would “certainly come within the commonly-understood umbrella term of violence against women and girls”.
Detective Superintendent Peter Fulton, head of BTP’s professional standards department, said: “Ian Koch demonstrated a pattern of behaviour of coercive control that was extremely distressing and frightening for Ms A and Ms B.
“This behaviour is completely against the standards expected of a police officer and does not represent British Transport Police.”
A spokesman for Cambridgeshire Police told the Standard: “We did investigate and sent the case to the Crown Prosecution Service, but they refused to charge him on the grounds of insufficient evidence.”
Kent Police added: “In 2022, Kent Police was contacted by a woman from the north Kent area, alleging controlling and coercive behaviour against a man.
“Officers carried out a full and thorough investigation and a file was presented to the Crown Prosecution Service which decided it did not meet the evidential test for criminal prosecution.
“The victim was informed of the decision and provided with advice and support.”