Volunteer police officer sacked for punching girl

The panel found Mr Wilson's conduct amounted to gross misconduct at Reading station

A volunteer police officer has been sacked after he admitted punching a girl who had been arrested at a train station.

Sgt Oliver Wilson, who worked for British Transport Police (BTP), was dismissed by the force after a panel found he had breached standards of professional behaviour.

The 17-year-old had been arrested at Reading station at about 22:30 BST on 20 April 2024 when Mr Wilson handcuffed her and escorted her to a BTP vehicle.

The girl said she got tangled up in a seatbelt, was pulled out of the vehicle and punched in the back.

A BTP panel found it was not necessary, proportionate or reasonable in the circumstances to have taken such action.

It found Mr Wilson's actions amounted to gross misconduct and he was dismissed without notice last month.

Det Supt Brett Walker, the head of BTP's professional standards department, said: "Police officers are rightly expected to maintain control of any situation and use force cautiously, only where it is proportionate and necessary.

"The force that [Mr Wilson] used on a lone 17-year-old girl was deemed to be unreasonable and unnecessary in the circumstances, significantly undermining the trust that the public need to have in the police."