Off-duty police officer "degraded and humiliated" woman on train

Mr Marshall is accused of breaching the standards of professional behaviour for police officers on 6 November 2021

A drunk police officer mocked a lone female passenger throughout a "degrading and humiliating" two-hour train journey, leaving her fearful for her safety, a misconduct hearing heard.

Steven Marshall was an off-duty student officer at Avon & Somerset Police when he boarded a first-class carriage from London Paddington on 6 November 2021.

He did not have a valid ticket and showed his warrant card when challenged by the train manager, the panel heard.

Mr Marshall denies the accusations.

The panel at Avon and Somerset Police headquarters in Portishead heard yesterday that Mr Marshall refused the GWR manager's request to move from the seat he boarded after attending a Chelsea Football match.

He then spent the whole trip poking fun at Ms A, who cannot be named for legal reasons, who was sitting in a single seat across the aisle.

Mr Marshall "mimicked and harassed" Ms A and made "multiple jibes" at her including that she was posh and must think he was "scum", according to the Local Democracy Reporting Services (LDRS).

Ms A had said she chose a first class seat because she was terrified of Covid and needed space.

'Pack mentality'

She told the police misconduct hearing that many passengers were already angry that they had to stand because it was "ridiculously overcrowded".

She said the officer was treated as a "hero" by others for making them laugh at her expense during the journey and that it was like a "pack mentality".

She told the panel: "I was so squashed and so frightened… I was trying to be invisible but he was very loudly mocking me.

"At this point I was so frightened that I put my face right against the window."

The woman said that it was only at the end of her journey to Taunton when there were fewer passengers that she felt able to tell PC Marshall: "You have intimidated a lone female passenger for over two hours. You should know better."

She said he apologised but told her it had just been a joke.

The former officer, who joined the force in March 2020 on a police degree apprenticeship, resigned in February 2022.

He is accused of breaching the standards of professional behaviour for police officers in terms of discreditable conduct; honesty and integrity; equality and diversity; and authority, respect and courtesy.

He denied the accusations.

The hearing continues.