Four cops facing misconduct hearings accused of sexual harassment, biting, racist messages & drink driving
Four South Yorkshire Police officers are set to face allegations of sexual harassment, biting a fellow officer, sending racist messages and drink driving at misconduct hearings set to be held over the next week.
South Yorkshire Police has announced details of the officers’ and their alleged conduct on the force website.
For two of the four officers, their misconduct hearings follow criminal convictions relating to their alleged conduct. Three of the four officers are subject of accelerated misconduct hearings.
The officers and the allegations they face are as follows:
Police Constable Samad Sagir - Misconduct hearing
Documents published by the force state: “It is alleged that the officer behaved in an inappropriate and/or sexually harassing way towards PC A.
“It is alleged that the officer behaved in an inappropriate and/or sexually harassing way towards PC B.
“It is alleged that the officer continued to behave in an inappropriate way towards female colleagues, despite having been instructed to cease such behaviours by other colleagues.”
If proven, the documents suggest PC Sagir’s conduct ‘would amount breach of the Standards of Professional Behaviour in respect of Discreditable Conduct, Authority, Respect and Courtesy and Orders and Instructions’.
The matters set out above are a breach of the Standards which are so serious as to justify dismissal and therefore constitutes gross misconduct.
PC Macauley Peate - Accelerated misconduct hearing
“In August 2024, whilst off duty, the officer assaulted an officer by biting her hand and was subsequently charged with the offence of assault of an emergency worker,” South Yorkshire Police documents state.
They continue: “On 4th October 2024 the officer pleaded guilty to the offence of assault of an emergency worker and received a criminal conviction.”
PC Peate’s conduct, the documents suggest, would amount to a breach of the Standards of Professional Behaviour in respect of Discreditable Conduct, should they be proven.
“The matter set out above is a breach of the Standards which is so serious as to justify dismissal and therefore constitutes gross misconduct.”
Police Constable Daniel Smith - Accelerated misconduct hearing
A summary of PC Smith’s alleged conduct, published by the force, states: “In October 2023, the former officer sent messages within a Whatsapp group which included language that is racist, offensive, inappropriate and/or discriminatory in nature.”
PC Smith’s conduct would amount to a ‘breach of the Standards of Professional Behaviour in respect of Discreditable Conduct and Equality and Diversity,’ should it be proven.
“The matter set out above is a breach of the Standards which is so serious as to constitute gross misconduct,” the documents add.
Police Constable Abbie Plummer
The conduct PC Plummer is accused of is as follows: In August 2024 the officer pleaded guilty and was convicted at court of driving her vehicle on a road whilst being over the prescribed alcohol limit.”
Should the conduct be proven, South Yorkshire Police documents suggest it would amount to a ‘breach of the Standards of Professional Behaviour in respect of Discreditable Conduct’.
“The matter set out above is a breach of the Standards which is so serious as to justify dismissal and therefore constitutes gross misconduct,” the documents state.
PC Sagir’s misconduct hearing is scheduled to take place on Monday, December 2, 2024, while hearings for PC Peate, PC Smith and PC Plummer are planned for Friday, November 29, 2024.
Detailing the ‘purpose’ of public misconduct hearings, South Yorkshire Police’s website states it is to ‘show’ that their ‘disciplinary system is open and transparent’ and to demonstrate that the force does ‘hold officers who breach the standards of professional behaviour, or those where misconduct is found proven, accountable for their actions’.
Hearings should be heard by a panel of three people that should be chaired by an independent legally qualified person chosen from a pool held by the local policing body, further guidance states.