Ex-PC banned from profession over drunken abuse

Beth Hoey had already received a written warning over previous behaviour

A former police officer has been barred from the profession following a drunken night out in Leicester.

Beth Hoey was off duty when she threatened and swore at colleagues who refused to leave their posts and drive her home after a night of drinking in October 2023, a Leicestershire Police misconduct hearing found.

The panel heard Ms Hoey was on a final warning after a similar incident in May 2022.

The hearing found her actions amounted to gross misconduct and senior officers confirmed that had she not already resigned, she would have been sacked.

The panel heard in the early hours of 28 October, Ms Hoey called an on-duty colleague, referred to as Officer A, to conduct safe and well checks on someone known to her but asked for it not to reported through the appropriate policing channels.

She then threatened to drive herself home if not given a lift by Officer A, said the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

'Compromised colleagues'

Ms Hoey then called another colleague – Officer B – and claimed to have nearly been in a fight.

Officer B contacted the friend Ms Hoey had said she was concerned about and confirmed she was safe.

She said she would have to report the situation

Ms Hoey then texted abusive messages to Officer B.

The hearing found Ms Hoey had "sought to use her police position in bad faith, compromised her colleagues and then sought to encourage them not to follow correct procedure".

In March 2023 Ms Hoey was given a final written warning for verbally abusing officers in Worcester after they refused to look for her friends.

Speaking following the latest hearing, Chief Constable Rob Nixon said: “Former PC Hoey failed to treat two of her colleagues with respect and courtesy and her actions fell way below the standards of professional behaviour expected.

"This would seriously undermine public confidence in policing, especially taking into account that a written warning has previously been issued in relation to a similar matter."

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