WIREDGOV

A Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) officer has been convicted of causing actual bodily harm (ABH) during an incident in Brentwood, Essex.

The trial of Police Constable (PC) Gareth Head followed our investigation.

He was acquitted of racially aggravated actual bodily harm last October but the jury was unable to reach a decision on the ABH charge and a re-trial was ordered.

At the end of a five-day trial at Basildon Crown Court he was found guilty by a jury on Tuesday 1 March. 

PC Head was sentenced to a community order for 12 months and will be subject to a curfew from 9pm to 6am for three months. He was also ordered to pay £1,750 towards the cost of the trial and a victim surcharge of £85.

The officer was off-duty and was being dropped off by a taxi after a night out in May 2018 when he assaulted the driver, who was subsequently treated for an injured jaw. The driver left the scene and called Essex Police alleging that he had been assaulted.

Two months later the taxi driver recognised PC Head, noted his car registration and contacted the police again. That led to the officer being identified and the matter being independently investigated by the IOPC.

During our investigation the taxi driver alleged that PC Head punched him in the shoulder and face and accused him of drug misuse.

IOPC Regional Director Sal Naseem recently said:

“PC Head’s behaviour fell far short of what is expected of a police officer and he now has a criminal conviction to his name.

“Our thorough investigation found a case to answer for gross misconduct against the officer and we will now progress that with the force.”

Our investigation, completed in nine months, followed a conduct referral from the MPS. During our enquiries, we recovered police records and medical evidence, further statements were obtained from the complainant, the scene of the incident visited, and five further independent witness accounts were obtained. We interviewed the officer under criminal caution.

A file of evidence was subsequently referred by us to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) which made the decision to authorise charges against the officer.

We found a case to answer for gross misconduct against PC Head for potentially breaching police professional standards relating to use of force and a disciplinary hearing will be arranged by the force.

A friend who was with PC Head on the night, was acquitted of racially aggravated actual bodily harm and the lesser charge of ABH at the trial held in October.