Three Sussex Police officers dismissed after attacking detainees
The force's chief constable says their actions have 'tarnished the force's name'
Last updated 31st Aug 2023
Two Sussex police officers and a former police officer have been sacked after two of them were convicted of assault and another used excessive force and treated a member of the public in a derogatory manner.
PCs Daniel Lott and Daniel Groves, aged 33 and 29, were both found guilty earlier this year of assaulting a man they had detained and were transporting to custody in Bognor Regis.
Brighton Crown Court heard the pair inappropriately used PAVA spray on the man while on duty on May 29th last year.
Both were sentenced to a community order requiring them to complete 130 hours of unpaid work in May, with a victim surcharge of £95 and court costs of £500.
Meanwhile, a disciplinary hearing on Wednesday (August 30th) heard that former PC Morgan Pearson, 24, based at Chichester, had spoken to a female detainee in a derogatory and threatening manner, showing a lack of tolerance and respect and had used excess force to push her head down while she was being detained.
He had also spoken to colleagues about the female in a discriminatory way about her mental health and looks, making lewd and abusive comments about her.
The officer had resigned from the force in June 2022 after he was interviewed about the matters.
Allegations against all three officers were proved at hearings in Lewes on Wednesday, which ruled that Lott and Groves be dismissed immediately. Pearson would also have been dismissed, had he not resigned.
In addition, all three have been place on the College of Policing's barred list, which will prevent them from returning to policing.
Sussex Police Chief Constable Jo Shiner, who chaired both disciplinary hearings, said:
"The actions of these three officers has tarnished the name of Sussex Police, has discredited thousands of hard-working and supremely conscientious colleagues and above all else, had failed the people of Sussex who put their trust in us.
“Protecting vulnerable people is a priority for Sussex Police and we take any report of inappropriate behaviour extremely seriously.
"There is no place in the force for such conduct which had been reflected in the outcomes of the hearings today."