A Police Sergeant accused of sexually assaulting a young woman officer is in line for promotion after being cleared of the attack.

The Royal Gazette can reveal that the officer was exonerated by Acting Deputy Commissioner Harold Moniz on February 2.

And the Sergeant was sent a letter two days later, telling him he was now in line to become an Inspector.

Senior officers in Complaints and Discipline launched a two-year inquiry into the sex scandal and held a lengthy internal trial which finished in October.

The investigation began when a 22-year-old probationer complained she was sexually harassed and assaulted by her supervisor in July 1995.

The accused officer, who is married, was immediately moved onto a different watch and out of his post in uniform.

He faced allegations that he tried to kiss and then rubbed himself against the woman officer in the grounds of a school play area, as she drove him home from a party at around 1.30 a.m. The initial inquiry, conducted by a Chief Inspector, was told that the pair went to the party as friends after coming off the 4 p.m. to midnight shift.

Mr. Moniz finally delivered his verdict earlier this month -- four months after receiving a dossier of the case evidence.

The file has now gone to Acting Commissioner Jean-Jacques Lemay for a final decision.

A Police spokesman confirmed last month that Mr. Lemay had "expressed concern about the undue delay in completing the investigation''.

He added last night: "The investigation has been completed and a file has been sent to the Police Commissioner.'' But a Police insider told The Royal Gazette that the Sergeant had privately been cleared and Mr. Lemay was not expected to overturn the decision.

He added: "The officer has been acquitted and he's now in line for promotion to Inspector.

"The decision was handed down on the Monday and on the Wednesday the letter was sent out.'' The accused officer is one of 13 Sergeants who were notified that they passed the preliminary interviews for promotion.

He will now have a further interview with the Public Service Commission and they will decide whether or not to recommend him for the higher rank.

The officer could have been fired, fined or reduced in rank if disciplinary chiefs found him guilty of discreditable conduct.

He was never charged with a criminal offence but it is believed to be the first time Bermuda Police Service has ever held an internal trial for an officer suspected of sexual assault.

And it is understood the Sergeant could still face action from the Human Rights Commission, who launched their own investigation into the sex assault allegations.

The alleged victim took her case to the HRC, who conducted a three-month inquiry.

Guidelines allow the HRC to fine the accused Sergeant up to $5,000 -- but he is understood to have refused to turn up to a Commission hearing and their inquiry has not yet been resolved.