Disgraced Grangemouth police officer quits the force

It was confirmed today Roderick Keith (51), a firearms specialist who was once commended for his bravery, had left the police force.

The resignation follows on from Keith’s sexual assault conviction earlier in the year.

Following a trial at Falkirk Sheriff Court in July Keith, Bo’ness Road, Grangemouth, was found guilty of the sex offence which saw him shove his hand down a 24-year-old man’s boxer shorts on December 9, 2018.

The court heard the victim had earlier taken Keith back to Keith's home after finding him sitting alone and staring into space in Falkirk bar Sportsters at 3am following a stag night.

Keith and his victim then sat on the sofa, where the incident occurred.

After the incident, the young man fled in horror and told what Keith, a married father-of-two, had done.

Keith, who denied the charge, said: “As far as I'm concerned I didn't do this. He's lying. I'm not gay for a start. I'm happily married.”

Following the three-day trial Sheriff John Mundy said he believed the victim, but accepted a social worker's assessment the incident was “an aberration".

He said: “Clearly this is a serious matter, and one has to consider the effect that it had on this young man, who must have suffered considerable emotional distress. I'm prepared to go along with the description of this incident as an aberration.

“Taking account of the numerous very good testimonials of your character, I am prepared to deal with this matter in a non-custodial way and will impose a direct alternative to imprisonment.”

Sheriff Mundy placed Keith on a supervised community payback order for nine months and Keith was ordered to place his name on the sex offenders' register for the same period.

After the case was over, Keith faced a police disciplinary probe -- but has now quit before it could finish.

A spokesman for Police Scotland said: “The individual was the subject of a misconduct investigation, however, resigned prior to its conclusion and is no longer a serving officer.”