Senior officer 'punched' two women, panel told

Insp Tola Munro was suspended from duty following the incident

A senior police officer allegedly dragged a woman to the ground before punching her in the face and hitting another female, a misconduct hearing was told.

South Bristol Insp Tola Munro, who was off-duty at the time, left the first woman with a bruise to her cheek after the incident, which began with a discussion about Meghan Markle and race.

Insp Munro denies the allegations and said he was acting in self-defence.

Barrister Mark Ley-Morgan, representing Avon and Somerset Police, told him: “The evidence you’ve given is an absolute pack of lies.”

Neither of the alleged victims can be named for legal reasons.

The panel was told the first woman, Witness A, phoned 999 at about 13:00 BST on the day of King Charles’ Coronation on 6 May 2023.

She apparently changed her mind and apologised to the control room for "wasting their time". Concerned for her welfare, officers were sent to the women's location.

Mr Ley-Morgan said the other woman, Witness B, told police that Insp Munro had accidentally caught her in the side of the face during the melee as she tried to step in and that he had only pushed the other female and not assaulted her.

The hearing at Avon and Somerset Police headquarters is expected to last four days

The senior officer, who is the former president of the National Black Police Association, was arrested on suspicion of two counts of common assault.

Mr Ley-Morgan said: “Asked if he understood why he had been arrested, the officer said ‘Yes. I was defending myself’.”

Insp Munro was interviewed and suspended from duty.

Mr Ley-Morgan said that while the inspector was in custody, the women declined to give statements.

He also told the panel that the women's accounts had since changed from their initial recollection.

"Witness B changed her story from contact being made with her face, to contact being made to her arm, and that this had caused her to fall.

“Witness A gave an account that she had been grabbed by the arms by the officer, she had tripped and fallen, as opposed to her being thrown, and rather than her being punched, as she said earlier, she said she had struck her face," he said.

'Defending myself'

Mr Ley-Morgan said neither alleged victim would give a statement to the force’s police standards department.

Despite acknowledging the inconsistencies, Mr Ley-Morgan said he believed the women’s first accounts given to officers at the scene were true.

He alleged that Insp Munro did throw Witness A, drag her to the ground and then punch her two or three times in the face, and that he also punched Witness B.

“It is serious violence by an officer of rank. This is gross misconduct,” he said.

Giving evidence, Insp Munro said he remained calm throughout, hoping the woman would calm down.

When she did not, he said, he grabbed her by the shoulders to move her away but the pair both tripped and fell and he "guided her down".

“I didn’t want her to hurt herself," Insp Munro said.

“She kicked out at me which I blocked with my hands and then I thought Witness B was coming over to strike me so I put my hand up to block her.

“I believed at the time I was defending myself in response to being kicked out at, and Witness B intervening who I thought was going to strike me.

“I didn’t punch Witness A in the face. I didn’t punch Witness B.”

The panel was told Witness A could not remember what she told police initially and she has refused to take part in the proceedings.

Giving evidence on day one of the hearing, Witness B said she could not recall saying that the inspector had hit her and that she was not punched.

The hearing at the force's headquarters in Portishead began on Monday and is expected to last four days.