Northumbria Police officer sacked for gross misconduct on dancefloor

PC James Pentland has been dismissed from Northumbria Police

A police officer has been sacked for gross misconduct after an incident involving a woman at a nightclub.

PC James Pentland has been dismissed without notice by Northumbria Police after the incident in September 2021.

A hearing was told PC Pentland "grabbed hold of [the victim's] breasts and put his face between them" on the floor of the Newcastle club.

However, he will not face any criminal charges, the forced confirmed.

Having looked at the allegations, the force's disciplinary panel decided the action was not sexual or malicious, and had been intended as a joke.

'Motorboating action'

In a written summary of the hearing the woman, known as Ms A, claimed PC Pentland had carried out the action referred to as "motorboating".

He had claimed Ms A had been flirting with him and said she wanted to have sex with him - something Ms A denied.

However, she agreed she had taken off her shirt when a particular song was played and waved it above her head, revealing she was wearing a black Calvin Klein sports bra, the hearing was told.

PC Pentland also claimed he had placed his hands in front of her in a "jazz manner," mimicking the touching of her breasts while trying to be funny in front of a group.

The police became involved however, after Ms A told her boyfriend what had happened.

The panel concluded PC Pentland's actions were "wholly inappropriate conduct" and deemed the behaviour as gross misconduct.

"There is currently significant national and local public concern about the attitude of police officers to women," it said in its judgement.

"There have been many reported cases about officers' abuse of women."

This case, it said, is "different in nature to some of the most high-profile cases" but said it added to the public perception "about the inappropriate views and actions of police officers."

'No place in the force'

After the dismissal, Supt Steve Ammari, head of the Professional Standards Department at Northumbria Police, said PC Pentland's actions "were completely unacceptable".

He said: "His behaviour is in no way representative of the officers, staff and volunteers who uphold the highest standards both on and off-duty.

"If anyone is found to have fallen below the standards rightly expected of them we are committed to taking appropriate action.

"We are clear, anyone who does not meet these has no place in Northumbria Police."