A DETECTIVE says he acted “like a schoolboy” when he “pinged the buttocks” of a work colleague with a ruler.

Paul Elrick is on a final written warning after claims he had made comments to a woman he worked with at Sussex Police.

The woman, referred to as PC X, made a complaint about the 48-year-old’s behaviour. She said that while she was recuperating from an operation Detective Sergeant Elrick had made a suggestive joke about sexual offences liaison officers via Faceboo messages.

Then on another occasion PC X said the superior officer had tickled her inappropriately in the office and poked her to make her jump.

It was hours after DS Elrick had said she looked “sexy” and “gorgeous” and “pinged her across the buttocks” with a ruler, a misconduct hearing at Sussex Police headquarters was told.

Robert Talalay, bringing the case against DS Elrick, said the incidents in March and June this year breached the professional standards expected of officers regarding authority, respect and courtesy.

PC X told the hearing she has been friends with the detective for more than 20 years and she challenged his behaviour at the time.

She said their friendship had “malfunctioned” but she felt the matter had been dealt with at the time.

When asked if she had any problems continuing to work with DS Elrick she said: “Absolutely not, it was a one off. I would work with him tomorrow.”

Mr Talalay said it was not the decision of PC X to decide how severe the incidents were, and noted that PC X felt “uncomfortable” and had told officers that DS Elrick had “crossed the line”.

He said: “However one spins it, they were sexual comments. One cannot get away from the fact that these matters are sexual objectively in nature and would not have been done to a man.

“Whatever PC X may desire for her friend, his actions made her very uncomfortable.”

DS Elrick spoke in the meeting and accepted the behaviour had happened, but said it did not amount to gross misconduct, and said he had shown “momentary” lapses of judgment.

The hearing was told that the detective, who first joined the police in 1996, has served as a frontline officer in Eastbourne and Hastings before becoming a detective in 2019.

He said he had shared a “dark humour” with PC X as a friend but accepted he had acted with “stupidity”.

About the Facebook messages, DS Elrick said: “I will say from the word go that those words are crass. I certainly don’t seek to treat women with such crass discourtesy.

“I believed the message would be received in a sense of humour. I had absolutely no idea of the impact on PC X until the matter came to my attention. I have accepted responsibility for upsetting her. The language caused some upset which I deeply regret.

“Messages were sent with a sense of humour to lighten the situation but it has clearly missed the mark, in doing so I have let myself down and the organisation down.”

He said he allowed his friendship to “blur” his professional judgment and said: “I fully accept my professional duties could be compromised by acting with stupidity.”

DS Elrick denies his comments and behaviour were meant as sexual, but instead meant as a joke between friends.

He said: “At no point throughout all the acts was there any sexual motivation. We have known each other for so long and the lines were blurred between professional responsibility and schoolboy behaviour that I take full responsibility for.”

Adam Jones, representing the detective, said the matters were serious and accepted, but said DS Elrick has taken steps to address his behaviour and has shown remorse.

He said the behaviour did not pass the mark needed to be thought of as gross misconduct, serious enough to justify dismissing the detective from the force.

The misconduct panel ruled that the Hastings detective’s behaviour was gross misconduct. But after strong character references from colleagues praising his work ethic, he was told he would be given a final written warning.

“I give you my word I will strive to be a better officer,” DS Elrick said.