WIREDGOV

Two Devon and Cornwall Police officers have been dismissed after a panel found that they made statements containing false information concerning the arrest of a man for allegedly being drunk and disorderly, following an investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).

Police constable (PC) Kenneth Anscombe arrested the man after he and PC Daniel Care were called to an incident in Penzance on 17 October 2018. The man was subsequently found guilty at court of being drunk and disorderly. He successfully appealed the conviction in January 2019 when he produced mobile phone footage of the interaction leading up to the arrest which contradicted the officers’ earlier statements.

Allegations against the two officers were heard at a disciplinary hearing arranged by the force, and on 29 January the panel, led by an independent legally-qualified Chair, found the case against the officers for gross misconduct proven. The panel imposed a sanction of dismissal without notice.

At the end of the five-day hearing the panel concluded that both officers’ evidential statements contained false information and were in order to secure a conviction. The statements alleged the man had been aggressive straight away and uttered specific swear words at the officers when later evidence did not show that. PC Anscombe then gave evidence on oath at a magistrates’ court hearing, at which the man was convicted, which was consistent with the false information in his statement.

The IOPC investigation began in March 2019 after a referral from the force. It concluded later that year, and subsequently we referred a file of evidence to the Crown Prosecution Service which decided not to bring any criminal charges against the officers. Devon and Cornwall Police agreed with the IOPC’s view that both officers had a case to answer for gross misconduct and arranged the disciplinary hearing.

IOPC regional director Catrin Evans yesterday said:

“The public must have confidence in police officers who have a duty to be honest, act with integrity, and not compromise or abuse their position. Both these officers maintained dishonest accounts which misrepresented the sequence and nature of events during their arrest of the man. Footage later available contradicted parts of their statements about their initial interaction with the man. We independently investigated these serious allegations and the police disciplinary panel has decided the appropriate sanction is dismissal.”

Both officers will now be placed on the police barred list.