Police officer says his bail breach was necessary

Thomas West told the panel he was trying to protect Miss A

A police officer, alleged to have breached his bail conditions by approaching a woman he had been ordered to avoid, has told a misconduct hearing that his actions were necessary.

PC Thomas West was arrested in March 2024 and told not to contact the woman, known as Miss A, following accusations of a crime. Two months later, he walked her to a taxi rank when he saw her drunk and alone in Weston-super-Mare.

The Avon & Somerset officer said he deemed the consequences of breaching his bail to be less important than Miss A's safety, but admitted in hindsight he had "got it wrong".

He admits misconduct but denies gross misconduct, including allegations that he was dishonest.

He told the hearing at police headquarters in Portishead he had drunk "a considerable amount" of alcohol, but felt he should intervene because Miss A was alone and in a part of town he considered "dangerous" at night.

He said: "At the time, I believed it was what a police officer was expected to do. In hindsight, I accept I got it wrong."

As the pair walked to the taxi rank, they were assaulted on the High Street.

PC West, who was a response officer in Weston-super-Mare and is now based at Burnham-on-Sea, dialled 999 but gave a false name for Miss A.

He said this was at her request because she did not want him to get into trouble for breaching his police bail.

He also suggested he could have been concussed after the attack.

Barrister Laura Nash, representing Avon & Somerset Police, argued PC West left Miss A more vulnerable and failed to tell colleagues she had been attacked.

The hearing is expected to conclude today.