Female detective sacked for allegedly calling transgender women 'c**ks in frocks' vows to fight her case at an employment tribunal

By JAMES FIELDING, SENIOR REPORTER and MARK LISTER Published: 00:02, 13 August 2026 | Updated: 00:07, 13 August 2026 An experienced detective sacked for allegedly calling trans-women 'c**s in frocks' has hit out at the way her case was handled and told how she has had to increase security at her home for fear of activist attacks. Detective Constable Rachel Fletcher, 49, today denied ever having used the derogatory phrase but did say she had issues with the way she feels trans rights have been put ahead of women's rights. Ms Fletcher is now set to pursue an unfair dismissal and discrimination case on the grounds of her gender critical beliefs -and insists that her views on trans issues have been misrepresented by Northumbria Police. Speaking from her home in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Ms Fletcher said she has received 'incredible support' since she was dismissed from the force following 23 years of service - a civilian in the force for six years, and then a cop for 17 years. 'I have been sent support from members of the public, colleagues, former colleagues, people I went to school with and politicians,' said the single mother of two. 'People have reached out on X and I've had loads of messages from retired cops, saying "keep going", "you're doing the right thing" and that it all needs to be challenged. 'I've had very few negative reactions.' But Ms Fletcher denies the allegations against her. Detective Constable Rachel Fletcher was reported for saying ‘c**ks in frocks’ about rules that let biological men who identify as women to insist on being strip-searched by a female 'I didn't say "c***s in frocks", although that is going to be attached to my name for the rest of my life, even though I didn't say it,' she laughed. But she does recall the context and location of where she was alleged to have made the remark. 'I absolutely remember the conversation. I was talking about the search guidance that was in place at the time, which had been brought in very quietly in 2021,' she said. It was the strip search guidance for police officers strip searching members of the public who had been brought into custody. 'The policy was basically self ID. So, for example, if a male police officer declared himself as female, then he would be permitted to carry out any and all searches on other females, so other female prisoners,' she explained. 'And, anyone who objected to that could be deemed to have objected on the basis of discriminatory views and have a hate crime recorded against them.' Recalling how the 'c'***s in frocks' phrase may have been misheard by colleagues at Gateshead Police Station, during the frank discussion amongst themselves, Ms Fletcher said: 'I was talking about imagining a brand new female recruit going into custody who has to conduct a strip search of a prisoner. 'She might be with her tutor constable. She goes into custody and is told "we need you to strip search a woman". 'That would be really daunting for her anyway, because the first time you do things like that, it is terrifying.' Ms Fletcher, who served as a child protection detective and later a family liaison officer, explained that when conducting a strip search on males or females, the top half is searched first. The prisoner is asked to remove their upper clothing and a visual search is done. Ms Fletcher today denied ever having used the derogatory phrase but did say she had issues with the way she feels trans rights have been put ahead of women's rights . Then, the upper clothing is replaced and the lower garments are then removed by the prisoner so a visual search of the bottom part of the body can be conducted. She continued: 'Once naked on the bottom half, they are asked to bend over, so the officer can check whether anything could be concealed. 'You don't touch them at all, but you are looking at somebody's private parts. It couldn't be any more degrading for them. 'Imagine someone identifying as a woman undressed their bottom half, and there was a c**k. 'How would that young female officer feel? Would she have the confidence to say "Hold on a minute, this isn't right. I shouldn't be doing this?" - because I don't think she would.' She said the word 'c**k' was used among colleagues who do the same job and are well-used to such language. 'We spend all day talking about sex offences,' said the experienced child protection and family liaison officer. 'We have heard and use every possible name for body parts in our line of duty. Victims use every possible word for genitalia, etc, when interviewing victims and suspects. 'People don't always use correct anatomical language, and if I'm asking someone to tell me what happened to them, I would ask them to use their own terms and language.' She said all officers are 'desensitised' to often vulgar words, and she would not use them at home or amongst friends, or the public. 'But it is language I would use in the office, because it is completely normal there,' she said. Ms Fletcher said she was not shocked when she was dismissed on 31 July for gross misconduct allegation of making the 'c**ks in frocks' remark and 'all men are rapists'. 'Again, I didn't say "all men are rapists", I said "all rapists are men".' She said she joked about putting all men on a 9pm curfew to stop nighttime rapes. 'It was a total joke, and everybody in the room, at the time, knew it was a joke,' she said. 'It is not something I would support in reality. 'I am absolutely looking forward to fighting my case at an employment tribunal.' Meanwhile, Ms Fletcher is trying to enjoy the summer holidays before trying to find alternative employment. However, she has been forced to take measures for her own safety. 'I've had to put CCTV cameras on my house because I knew all this would be public, and I'm expecting to get death threats and things like that. I haven't had any yet, but I am expecting that.' Ms Fletcher's employment tribunal case is listed for November, next year.