Police sergeant is sacked after wolfwhistling members of the general public

A police sergeant nicknamed Sausage Fingers who was an ‘ambassador for violence against women’ has been sacked after wolfwhistling at members of the public.

James Endean, an officer with Thames Valley Police for 22 years, was also found to have bragged about his sexual prowess to colleagues and repeatedly referred to the size of his own penis.

He was sacked without notice last month after an independent panel found him culpable of gross misconduct.

The panel found Endean to have bullied his colleagues and made repeated sexual innuendos and misogynistic comments towards female co-workers and members of the public between early 2022 and March last year.

This was despite the officer being made an ethics champion in 2022 and a White Ribbon champion a year later, which involved acting as an ‘ambassador’ for women and girls in ending male violence against them. 

James Endean, an officer with Thames Valley police for 22 years, was also found to have bragged about his sexual prowess to colleagues and repeatedly referred to the size of his own penis (stock photo not related to the case)

He was sacked by Thames Valley Police without notice last month after an independent panel found him culpable of gross misconduct

Endean, who worked from Reading police station, had more than 12 allegations made against him relating to his behaviour and all but one was proved or proved in part, according to The Times. 

The panel found Endean made numerous sexual innuendos about the size of his fingers to female colleagues. He once showed them off and said ‘these should be on Britain’s Got Talent’. 

This claim was denied by Endean, who said that during the beginning of his career he was given the nickname ‘sausage fingers’ by colleagues and his comment was a reference to this. 

However, the panel said he knew this was an innuendo and his comments reflected ‘a pattern of him referring to the size of his own penis in the workplace’.

Other behaviour included ‘rating’ female members of the public based on their attractiveness while on night-time patrols and describing what he would do to them sexually.

Witnesses said that they heard Endean say a female member of the public was ‘asking for it’, make inappropriate comments about the public such as ‘look at the legs on that’ and was heard wolfwhistling at women more than once. 

In the summary of its decision the panel said Endean’s repeated misconduct caused ‘reputational harm’ for Thames Valley police and could damage public confidence in the police

Endean, who was made a sergeant in 2009, was also found to have bullied officers of both genders and humiliated them by his ‘spiteful comments and threats’. 

This included calling one as ‘thick as shit’ and a ‘f***ing idiot’ when they made a mistake. Some officers said they tried to avoid working with him. 

Luke Ponte, who represented Endean, alleged collusion between witnesses to exaggerate claims, but the panel rejected this claim. 

He explained to the panel that Endean’s life was under ‘acute strain’ in 2022 because of family court proceedings in relation to contact with his daughter. 

In the summary of its decision the panel said Endean’s repeated misconduct caused ‘reputational harm’ for Thames Valley police and could damage public confidence in the police.

It was heard how the findings had significant public interest due to how in recent years male members of the police had behaved towards women. 

The panel stated this is because misogynistic or sexual comments are likely to deter victims of crime from reporting to the police because they lack trust in the organisation.

After the allegations were made against Endean he was moved from Reading to Bracknell and Wokingham where he continued to work in a supervisory role.