Cleveland PC 'mortified' when quizzed about urinating in shop

Nine changing rooms at Urban Outfitters in York had to be closed so the changing room could be cleaned, a disciplinary panel heard

A police officer accused of urinating in a shop fitting room while drunk told a disciplinary hearing she was "mortified" to be questioned about it.

PC Amelia Shearer faces being sacked by Cleveland Police for gross misconduct after the alleged incident at Urban Outfitters in York last September.

The off-duty probationer is alleged to have asked if the store had customer toilets before going into the cubicle.

She denies urinating in the changing room and lying about it to her boss.

A police disciplinary panel heard PC Shearer had been in York with a friend while off-duty on Saturday, 11 September.

While there they had a "bottomless brunch", sharing a bottle of Prosecco and consuming three cocktails in 90 minutes, as well as eating a "breakfast pizza".

Afterwards, the friends went to another bar where she drank a Jack Daniels and Coke before going to the store.

While there she is alleged to have asked a sales assistant if the store had toilets, and when told it did not she went into a changing room cubicle.

Job at risk

The Middlesbrough-based officer, who studied a Masters in criminal investigations, told the hearing she would not expect such a shop to have public toilets.

She told the panel she was drunk, described her and friend as "loud and giggly", but denied relieving herself.

"I haven't done that, I went to the changing room to resolve an issue with my underwear," she said.

Less than an hour after being asked to leave Urban Outfitters she was questioned in a nearby street by a North Yorkshire police officer, the panel heard.

"I was mortified that the allegation had been made and it was trying to be resolved in a busy street where there was people walking past," she said.

She said she repeatedly mentioned that her job was at risk, explaining: "It is drilled into us from the beginning, if you are a probationer they can get rid of you really easily."

The next day she spoke to Insp Christian Duree and provided an "abridged version" of events, not mentioning that she went into the cubicle to adjust her bra, she said.

Cleveland Police claims that she lied about what happened.

Olivia Checa-Dover, for the force, told the panel the evidence against the officer was "overwhelmingly strong", and the two shop workers who gave evidence were telling the truth.

'Excellent officer'

Joan Smith, for the defendant, said PC Shearer had consistently denied urinating and that only her client could give "credible, sincere evidence" of what occurred in the changing room.

The officer had earlier wept as Insp Duree - who had been in charge of her development - praised her performance.

He described her as "absolutely spot-on, an excellent officer".

Insp Duree told the hearing PC Shearer had admitted being drunk and was upset and embarrassed.

He said the probationer told him she had been stopped by a police officer who said she had been accused of urinating in the shop.

"She told me she had been in the shop and had been in the cubicle to try clothes on," Insp Duree said.

"She was adamant she had not urinated in the changing room."

The hearing was adjourned until Wednesday, when the panel will give its decision.