Officer who broke wife's back barred from police

Two allegations of discreditable conduct were proven against Huw Orphan

A police officer who broke his wife’s back kicking her down stairs has been banned from joining any force.

Two allegations of discreditable conduct were proven against Huw Orphan at an accelerated misconduct hearing in Cwmbran.

Orphan, 31, from Barry, Vale of Glamorgan, was convicted of causing grievous bodily harm at Cardiff Crown Court in September.

Gwent Police's temporary assistant chief constable Nick McLain said he had "no hesitation" in finding the allegations proven.

Had Orphan not resigned shortly before the hearing, Mr McLain said, he “would have been immediately dismissed had he not resigned.”

Orphan did not attend the hearing.

The attack against his wife, an officer named Amy Burley, happened in April 2020.

Mr McLain said Orphan brought the force into disrepute and undermined the confidence of the public in policing.

The hearing, in Cwmbran, heard that after the couple had an argument, Orphan kicked out backwards at the top of the stairs into his wife’s stomach.

She fell down the stairs, fracturing one of her vertebrae.

Previously, the hearing was told Orphan barged through the front door, resulting in actual bodily harm. His wife hit her head and he dug his nails into her.

Mr McLain said the "gratuitous violence" was an aggravating factor and the gross misconduct related to the "wholly unacceptable" abuse of a woman.