Hertfordshire police officers guilty of misconduct in Christian-Lee Thompson case

Christian-Lee Thompson before the incident and, afterwards, with his parents Stephen and Lisa

Two policemen have been found guilty of misconduct after an injured boy who had come off a moped was held to the ground.

Christian-Lee Thompson, 16, was found after reports he had been knocked from the moped.

A Hertfordshire Police panel heard PCs Stuart Francis and Rishi Patel did not seem concerned with treating his injuries.

The incident happened in Hemel Hempstead on 16 July last year.

Christian-Lee is now paralysed as a result of the incident on the Nickey Line cycle- and footpath, where he was riding in breach of the law.

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The misconduct hearing, which began on Tuesday, was told he had been knocked off the moped by a man using the footpath and that the two officers were responding to reports of this altercation.

'Showed no concern'

PCs Francis and Patel denied using excessive force on the injured boy and of providing dishonest or misleading accounts of what happened.

One witness, Jared Reed, 18, said: "PC Stuart Francis's voice was aggressive - he said to Christian-Lee 'you may as well tell the truth as you're going to be arrested anyway'."

Another witness, Lisa Sandridge, told the hearing: "His [PC Francis's] behaviour was terrible. He didn't show any concern. He gave him no first aid.

"PC Rishi Patel was kneeling on Christian-Lee's legs as he was worried he was going to be kicked in the face."

The officers said they knew the boy was injured and were trying to keep him still.

PC Francis was found guilty of gross misconduct and instantly dismissed from the force.

PC Patel was found guilty of misconduct and given a written warning.