The Dyfed Powys police detective has been found not guilty of assault

Detective Sergeant Samuel Garside, 31, stood trial for assault by penetration in December 2021 while off duty.

Following the accusation in July 2023, Garside, from Cwmann near Lampeter, was suspended from his duties at Dyfed-Powys Police.

A test on Swansea Crown Court heard Garside allegedly pushed the woman against a doorway and sexually assaulted her while she was on a night out in Aberaeron.

The accuser alleged the woman pushed Garside away and taunted him after the incident, before grinning and walking away.

Garside gave evidence to the jury in which he accepted the sexual act took place but claimed it was consensual.

He said that shortly before the alleged incident occurred, he and the woman had a conversation that turned “flirty.”

He further claimed that the pair gave each other a “look” before kissing and briefly engaging in sex acts in a doorway.

He said that after the act they walked away together and had a non-flirty conversation.

He told Judge Paul Thomas that the woman did not physically resist his advances “in any way” and that if she had, he would have “stopped immediately and immediately”.

He denied that the woman pushed him away or challenged him after the encounter, claiming that the realization that he had cheated on his wife caused him to withdraw.

After more than an hour of deliberation, the jury returned with a verdict of ‘not guilty’ on Thursday.

Detective Chief Constable Ifan Charles said: “This was a serious allegation against an individual whose job it was to protect the people of Dyfed-Powys and therefore swift action was taken when the report was made.

“DC Garside was immediately suspended while a full and thorough investigation was conducted, and today’s ruling puts an end to the criminal process.

“It should be noted that the force will now consider whether to take formal action from the perspective of police officer misconduct, in accordance with the legal framework.

“While the outcome of the criminal proceedings will clearly be of direct relevance to this assessment, it is important to point out that this is an entirely different consideration.

“DC Garside will remain suspended while this review is carried out and any potential return to work will be dependent on the outcome of that review.”