Fridae

A British lesbian police sergeant who has been acquitted of attempted murder of a woman inspector who was her lover was told that she may face jail time, reported the Electronic Telegraph.

Sergeant Tina Nash, 41, was accused of attempting to strangle Inspector Sara Glen, 31 with a T-shirt as she slept in bed on March 30 last year. Glen and Nash had been dating for a year and a half at the time of the attack.

Nash, who lived with Glen, was angry because her lover was having an affair with Sergeant Katherine Willoughby, a former girlfriend and wanted to end their relationship. All three are members of the Hampshire force.

Nash denied any intention of killing her lover. She said she 'lost it' as she wrapped the T-shirt around Glen's neck.

Up to four women were vying for Inspector Glen's affections. A married woman sent her cards with 'intimate messages' and there was a young barrister with whom she exchanged e-mail messages and enjoyed regular telephone conversations. Nash was so tormented by suspicions about her lover's affairs that she intercepted her letters, e-mails and text messages.

Nash will be sentenced next month after admitting the lesser charge of assaulting Glen, occasioning her actual bodily harm.

Nash has been suspended since her arrest and will face a disciplinary hearing. She also acknowledged that her 20-year police career was now over. She said that the past 12 months had been a 'nightmare. I know I'm never going to be a police officer. That saddens me. I lived for my job, as I said in my evidence.'

While there are no rules within the force against homosexual or lesbian police officers living together, the officers are not allowed to serve within the same police district. This is the same for heterosexual officers who are married or co-habit.