DC Richard Holder, 41, was immediately suspended from duty on August 31 when the allegations were first reported. Sussex Police say the Eastbourne-based detective had been off long term sick from work since February 2017 but all the while had been advertising himself on an adult website as offering to perform sexual acts for money. At a public gross misconduct hearing held at Sussex Police HQ yesterday (April 9), it was found he had behaved in a manner that had discredited the police service or undermined public confidence by the following allegations: • He used his home address for the purposes of sexual intercourse for payment through his account on an adult website • That he, using his account on the same adult website, arranged sexual encounters for payment to him and another • That he took payment for the above matters and shared funds with another in payment for her participation in the arranged sexual encounters He had already resigned from the force in March this year and did not attend the hearing. Detective Inspector Nick Wainwright from Sussex Police’s Professional Standards Department said, “Police officers must behave in a manner that does not discredit the police service or undermine public confidence, whether on or off duty. “Ex-DC Holder, who was on long-term sick leave, was offering himself as being available to perform sexual services for payment, which is clearly completely out of keeping with his role that others uphold with pride, integrity and with the trust of the public whom they serve.”
