Serving police officer to stand trial - accused of intentionally strangling a woman
33-year-old PC Mitchell Curtis, appeared before Gloucester Crown Court earlier today (7 September)
A serving Avon and Somerset Police officer will stand trial next year accused of intentionally suffocating a woman, as well as controlling and coercive behaviour.
33-year-old PC Mitchell Curtis denied four charges today (September 7) at Gloucester Crown Court, all alleged to have been committed between February 2021 and October 2022.
Two of the offences against the PC from Charnhill Drive in Bristol allege that Curtis engaged in controlling and coercive behaviour against a woman in the South Gloucestershire area.
He also denied a charge of intentionally suffocating the same woman in July last year, as well as damaging the door handle of a car belonging to her in April 2022.
In court, he denied all four charges, and spoke only to confirm his name and reply "not guilty" as each of the four charges was read to him.
Recorder Simon Levene told him: "There is going to be a trial on October 14 next year at this court. There is a time estimate of four weeks for that.
"In the meantime, you will be released on conditional bail."
Dan Pawson-Pounds appeared for the prosecution during the hearing, while Anjali Gohil represented the defendant.
The Bristol-based officer was suspended from duty in October 2022 after a complaint was made to the force.
It was confirmed today he remains suspended.