South Yorkshire Police constable sacked over racial slur in Snapchat video

A police officer has been sacked over a racial slur in a Snapchat video

A South Yorkshire Police officer has been sacked after using a racial slur in a Snapchat video.

PC Austin Ainsworth said the word in a clip filmed by another officer while off-duty on a night out in London.

He admitted gross misconduct but denied being racist, saying he had "appropriated" the word as a "term of endearment".

The force's chief constable ruled PC Ainsworth should be dismissed without notice at a hearing on Friday.

The constable was found to have breached professional standards with respect to discreditable conduct and equality and diversity.

The panel found the constable's actions had the potential to "tarnish the reputation of the force"

The video came to light in March this year during unrelated misconduct proceedings involving another officer, named only as Officer A.

The pair were seen laughing after PC Ainsworth said the slur in a nine-second clip filmed by Officer A on 18 June last year.

The officers had travelled to London for a gig at Brixton Academy before going drinking in Tottenham, a hearing on Friday was told.

Det Supt Delphine Waring, the force's head of professional standards, said PC Ainsworth had apologised during a subsequent interview for using the word.

The constable, who was an acting sergeant when the video was filmed, said the two officers had met a black man in the bar who repeatedly used the word as a "term of endearment".

He said he had "foolishly repeated" it in a "spontaneous act" while drunk as the two officers walked back later that night.

PC Ainsworth said he "meant no harm" but understood it was not his place "to use the word in that sense".

Det Supt Waring told the panel PC Ainsworth had served on the force for six years and "should be fully aware of the behaviour expected of him".

She said "regardless of context" the constable's actions showed him to be "profoundly unsuitable for the role" and called for Chief Constable Lauren Poultney, the panel's chair, to dismiss him.

'Truly offensive'

PC Ainsworth's solicitor, Ben Tighe, appealed for his client to be given a final written warning rather than fired.

He said the constable's use of the word had been a "one-off lapse" in a "very particular context" and noted he had received good character references including from ethnic minority colleagues.

But the chief constable said PC Ainsworth's use of the term had been "conscious, intentional and deliberate" and it was only "good fortune" that no one had overheard him and been "truly offended".

The constable's actions had the potential to "tarnish the reputation of the force and undermine confidence in policing," Ms Poultney said.

PC Ainsworth was seen as a role model by colleagues and had been in line for promotion before video emerged, the hearing was told.