COMPLAINTS lodged about Wiltshire Police’s handling of sexual abuse allegations were not taken seriously enough according to the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

Following an investigation, the IPCC found the complaints against Wiltshire Police in 2008 and 2009 were not taken seriously enough by the force’s former Chief Constable Patrick Geenty, an inspector and a detective constable.

The investigation also found that information provided to the complainants by both Mr Geenty, who was then the assistant chief constable, and the inspector was unclear and open to interpretation.

However, the investigation did not find any clear evidence the officers deliberately misled the complainants.

The IPCC found cases to answer for misconduct against all three in that they may have breached standards of professional behaviour.

Misconduct meetings, in respect of the inspector and detective constable, were convened by Wiltshire Police in September 2015.

The inspector was issued with a written warning after misconduct was proven in that the officer should have recorded and investigated two related complaints.

Misconduct allegations against the detective constable were not proven.

Mr Geenty retired from Wiltshire Police in June 2015 and forces are unable to hold misconduct meetings on former officers.

IPCC deputy chairman Sarah Green said: “We found that the complaints were not responded to as they should have been.

“It is vital that the public are confident that police forces will take their complaints seriously and that complainants are provided with clear information.”