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1 month ago
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A Met Police officer has been spared the sack over a 'momentary lapse of judgement' that saw him poke a female colleague's chest. PC Glen Collier was at a Christmas party at Friern Manor Hotel in Essex when he drunkenly turned to the woman, said 'Bloody hell look at the size of them' and poked her on the breast, a misconduct hearing heard in February.
The gawping constable confessed his behaviour the next day, writing: "Bad news day! Very serious message here. Yesterday evening at work I was told that an allegation of sexual touching over clothing had been made against me by a colleague on my team. This allegation is true. At my team’s Christmas do in a moment of absolute madness, I turned to a 49-year-old female colleague and said, along the lines of, ‘bloody hell her name look at the size of them' and then poked her on the breast with my index finger."
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Though PC Collier denied the touching was sexually motivated, Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor found the conduct would not have occurred if the victim was a male. While AC Taylor found being drunk and on medication was 'no excuse', he also noted 'this was a single incident which took place over a matter of seconds'.
Commenting on harm, AC Taylor wrote: "PC Collier would be very aware of the extensive work ongoing in relation to tackling violence against women and girls and the enormous challenge this poses policing. His behaviour could seriously undermine and cause harm to the public trust and confidence in the MPS."
PC Collier's mitigation was helped by his early admission, it being an isolated incident, and his genuine remorse. His record as a police officer, and the potential loss of experience for the police service if he was to be dismissed, were also considered.
AC Taylor concluded: "I therefore considered whether a final writen warning would be consistent with the public interest. Clearly PC Collier’s behaviour, as admitted, was entirely unacceptable. I want to be clear that in no way am I condoning PC Collier’s behaviour.
"For the avoidance of doubt, I want to expressly record that PC Collier’s inappropriate conduct goes against the expectation of the Metropolitan Police Service. As well as maintaining the confidence of the public. We also have a duty to protect our female colleagues.
"However, based on the evidence before me I am prepared to accept the mitigation presented. I emphasise that I have considered PC Collier’s inappropriate conduct to have been an unacceptable but nonetheless a momentary lapse of judgement."
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