Police officers used 'unnecessary force' on woman

Two police officers committed gross misconduct by using "unnecessary force" on a vulnerable woman in Bristol, a panel has found.

The female constables from Avon and Somerset Police have been barred from policing for "cruel and degrading" treatment of a woman who was experiencing a mental health crisis.

Bodycam footage showed one of the officers using pepper spray on the woman, and the other grabbing her throat as they arrested her near the Clifton Suspension Bridge in December 2021.

Both officers, who have been granted anonymity, would have been dismissed if they had not already resigned, the police misconduct panel said.

The pair had denied gross misconduct, but had admitted to misconduct.

They were called to the bridge to reports of an intoxicated woman experiencing a mental health crisis. She had been trying to climb over a wall.

'Appalling and brutal'

The panel was told how one of the officers sprayed the woman, referred to as Miss A, with Pava spray after her colleague allegedly stood on her arm and grabbed her hair and throat during the arrest, for causing a public nuisance.

While they were driving to the police station, Miss A said she could not breathe.

When they stopped, one of the officers pulled her out of the car and she fell heavily to the ground.

The tribunal heard Miss A was incapacitated as the officers had handcuffed her and applied a spit hood and a bite guard.

Their treatment of the woman was “appalling”, “brutal” and lacked compassion, said barrister Alan Jenkins, representing the force.

Footage of the incident was broadcast on the Channel 4 series To Catch a Copper – as documentary filmmakers were given behind the scenes access to the Professional Standards department at Avon and Somerset Police.

The Avon and Somerset Police officers were called out to Bristol's Clifton Suspension Bridge

The officer who used Pava claimed it had the “desired effect” to subdue the woman and get her to comply with instructions, as she was "kicking out" and spitting.

She insisted she did the right thing, although she retrospectively accepted she should have treated the woman with more respect and courtesy.

The other constable denied grabbing the woman’s throat and hair or intentionally standing on her arm, and said they were dealing with a “violent criminal”.

Both officers admitted laughing during the incident but maintained this was to lighten the mood and show the woman that her verbal insults were having no effect, not to mock her distress.

The panel found the officer's treatment of Miss A amounted to gross misconduct, that it was "cruel and degrading" and was a breach of her human rights.

She was treated by the officers "not like a human being but more like a caged animal".

'Horrified by actions'

The hearing was told Miss A was intoxicated and had a string of convictions, many of them relating to assaults on police officers and that skewed their view as they were focussed on the risk to themselves.

However, the panel concluded that the officers abused their trust and their position and behaved violently.

While one of the pair had shown remorse, the other more experienced officer, failed to claim responsibility for her actions.

The panel found their behaviour was likely to undermine public confidence in policing.

Deputy Chief Constable Jon Reilly welcomed the result and said he and the rest of the staff were "horrified" by the officer's actions.

He said he hopes their dismissal proves Avon and Somerset Police will not tolerate such behaviour and that this will reassure the public.