Public Misconduct Hearing – Detective Constable Matthew Roberts

A public misconduct hearing will take place at Thames Valley Police HQ South, 169 Oxford Road, Kidlington, England, OX5 2NX, before ACO (Ret’d DCC) Paul Mills QPM. The hearing is scheduled to last five days and will commence on Monday 26 October 2026.

The allegations relate to:

1. Using a van intended for an operation to drive a colleague to a private appointment
2. Failing to remain close to the van as instructed by a colleague.
3. Socialising at a café when they should have been operationally deployable
4. Undertaking actions which potentially undermined a policing operation
5. Giving a complete and untruthful account to supervisors

As a result of this conduct it is alleged that the officer breached the following standards of professional behaviour:

• Honesty and Integrity
• Duties and Responsibilities
• Orders and Instructions
• Discreditable Conduct

Due to the contextual background to the allegations, the chair further to an application by the AA has made preliminary directions concerning the following:

• One of the witnesses in the case will be anonymised and referred to as PC A throughout the proceedings
• The evidence of the officer subject of the proceedings – DC ROBERTS and PC A will be conducted in private

The chair directs that if any person entitled to do so wishes to make representations concerning the preliminary directions, these are received in writing not later than 21^st October 2026.

This is a public hearing and available space will limit numbers attending to six people, including members of the media.  If you wish to attend you will be required to pre-register by completing the relevant form using the link below: 

Attend a misconduct hearing | Thames Valley Police

Anyone who has not pre-registered by midday on Thursday 22 October 2026 will not be allowed into the hearing.

As a condition of entry you will be required to comply with the following:

1. You must register and produce valid identification, (which will only be use to confirm your identity and will be handled in accordance with the Data Protection Act and General Data Protection Regulations),
2. You will be restricted on what can be brought into the hearing room or on to the premises where the hearing is to be held, whether for the purposes of security or otherwise,
3. You and your property may be subject to a search for the purposes of security,
4. The chair will identify any reporting restrictions that members of the public or the media must adhere to in order to be granted access to the hearing,
5. The chair prohibits the taking of photographs and the use of film or sound recording equipment during the hearing, except for official use. The use of live, text-based communications for the purposes of simultaneous reporting of proceedings may be permitted if the chair is satisfied that it does not interfere with the orderly conduct of proceedings.
6. You are prohibited from the taking of photographs or the use of film or sound recording equipment within the force headquarters building.
7. Members of the public and press are requested to remain silent at all times whilst the hearing is in session. No-one attending the public hearing shall either intervene in or interrupt the running of the hearing,
8. Should anyone breach these conditions of entry, or any of the conditions set by the hearing chair they may be asked to leave and will be escorted from the premises. The person may also be excluded from any future hearings.