Derbyshire Police officer failed to investigate racial crime

PC Ian Biggin resigned from Derbyshire Police three days before his misconduct hearing on Monday

A police officer made up a false victim statement after a woman reported she was racially abused on a bus, a hearing was told.

PC Ian Biggin, of Derbyshire Police, had denied four allegations of failing to investigate a racial crime properly.

He resigned days before a misconduct hearing, which found all the allegations to be proven true.

The panel concluded the actions of the officer were deemed to be of "serious gross misconduct".

A woman, who cannot be named, reported she was racially abused and threatened by a neighbour while on a bus journey home in Derbyshire on 27 January.

She told the hearing she first called police while leaving the bus - miles before her chosen destination, the Local Democracy Reporting Service reported.

She said she was scared to see that the perpetrator had also got off the bus seconds later, leaving her fearing for her safety.

Victim statement changed

The woman said she spoke to PC Biggin on two occasions - the first an hour or so after she left the bus and then again later in the day when he visited her home address.

She told the panel: "[At the time of the incident] I spoke to him for about 30 seconds. He told me to get the bus and go home. He told me not to [give details] and he said 'I'll see you later'."

The woman said during the second meeting, PC Biggin asked her to sign a box at the bottom of his notebook entry.

She believed this was to confirm he had attended her house but, unknown to her, it also included her statement.

The next day PC Biggin updated the entry of the incident and falsely stated the victim did not want the police involved.

The woman raised concerns weeks later after being asked for feedback on her contact with the police, which prompted an investigation.

The panel found PC Biggin had made no adequate attempts to gather the CCTV evidence when it was available.

'Failed to act diligently'

It heard PC Biggin dismissed any potential retrieval of CCTV evidence and told the victim footage from the bus would be "grainy" and would not show anything conclusive.

However, officers were later told the bus's CCTV was "high definition" quality.

But by that time, the bus firm said footage for that day had already been overwritten and potentially significant evidence was lost.

The hearing was told PC Biggin also declined to see a video in which it was claimed showed a previous racial episode involving the same neighbour.

Chair of the panel David Tyme said PC Biggin was "wholly responsible for his actions" and had "failed to act diligently" throughout the investigation.

A Derbyshire Police spokesperson said: "The hearing heard allegations that former officer, PC Biggin, conducted himself in a manner that amounted to misconduct.

"Members of the public, as well as the force, expect the highest levels of professionalism from officers and staff and, in this instance, the former constable did not meet these expectations."

The hearing concluded the officer would have been dismissed without notice had he not tendered his resignation.

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