He’s the victim of computer hackers and described Sandra Birchmore as a liar. Those were the primary defenses former Stoughton police deputy chief Robert C. Devine , 53, offered from the witness stand during disciplinary proceedings over allegations he had sexual contact with Birchmore in 2020 while he was on duty.

Devine’s testimony during the proceedings held over the summer followed a defense strategy commonly used by people accused of sexual misconduct, experts told the Globe.

“Unfortunately, it’s all too common to blame the victim,” Christina Miller, a clinical law professor at Suffolk University Law School, said.

“It refocuses the hearing away from officer Devine’s actions and onto her,” she said.

Devine’s defense also had echoes of a case from a decade ago when he accused hi

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