Police officer due in court on coercive and controlling behaviour charges

A serving police officer is due to appear at Bristol Magistrates’ Court after being charged with several offences.

PC Mitchell Curtis, 33, who is based in Bristol, will appear before magistrates on Thursday 3 August after being charged with two counts of engaging in coercive and controlling behaviour and one count each of intentional suffocation and criminal damage.

The offences, which occurred in the South Gloucestershire area, were reported to us in October 2022. The officer was arrested the same day and suspended from duty. He is currently on conditional bail.

A parallel investigation is being carried out by our Professional Standards Department (PSD), which will focus on whether the standards of professional behaviour have been breached.

Det Supt Lisa Simpson said: “These are very serious charges against a serving police officer which have been subject to a detailed investigation over the past seven months.

“A file of evidence was collated by the investigating team and submitted to the Crown Prosecution Service, which authorised the charges to be brought.

“We’re unable to go into further details at this stage as we cannot risk prejudicing the ongoing criminal proceedings.”

Claire Williams of CPS South West said: “The Crown Prosecution Service has authorised Avon and Somerset Police to charge Mitchell Curtis with two charges of engaging in controlling/coercive behaviour and charges of intentional suffocation and criminal damage.

“We remind all concerned that criminal proceedings against Mitchell Curtis are now active and that he has the right to a fair trial. It is extremely important that there should be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings.”