Kieran Blagden: 'Angry' South Yorkshire cop who 'saw red' and punched partner is barred from policing

Kieran Blagden was a serving police constable with SYP when he is alleged to have assaulted his partner during an incident in November 2023.

A misconduct hearing held earlier this month concluded that Mr Blagden’s behaviour amounted to gross misconduct, and he would have been sacked from his role, had he not already resigned.

The case was “proved in its entirety”.

The panel presiding over the hearing, which was chaired by Assistant Chief Constable Lindsey Butterfield, also directed that Mr Blagden’s details will be added to the College of Policing’s barred list.

Guidance from the College of Policing states that if an applicant for a job within the Home Office’s police forces in England and Wales is on the barred list “then they must not be employed or appointed into policing.”

It also states that it is incumbent upon police forces, along with the Independent Office for Police Conduct; His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services and Offices of Police and Crime Commissioners to check if an applicant is on the barred list, prior to employing or appointing them.

South Yorkshire Police has published a report detailing the misconduct panel’s findings into Mr Blagden’s conduct, which states the panel find the “allegations and particulars” - as set out during the course of the hearing, and in associated documentation - have been “proved in its entirety.”

The report states: “The panel find that the former officer was angry and in his words he ‘saw red’ and we find he punched his partner to the ribs. This was an intentional act.

“During the incident the former officer picked up a carrier bag contain cans of drink and threw It towards the wall, however it hit his partner to the head.

“The panel find that the officer behaved in a reckless manner by throwing the carrier bag whilst in the same room his partner, and therefore reasonably could have foreseen that she may well have been injured.”

The report states that Mr Blagden reacted after reading messages on his partner’s phone.

It also states that Mr Bladgen voluntarily chose not to attend the misconduct hearing.

Following the incident, the complainant visited A&E to receive treatment.

The report states: “The panel find she attended hospital to receive medical attention for herself. That this was not an act designed to get the officer into trouble, or with the desire to have social care involvement.

“Former PC Blagden’s partner was reluctant to give his details and seems to have been trying to protect him.

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“There were a number of elements to her injuries but her main concern appeared to be the pain to her ribs. This is consistent with her account of having been punched to that area.”

Detailing the panel’s conclusions, the report continues: “As the panel has found former PC Blagden’s conduct to amount to gross misconduct, we only have two outcomes available to us, as the former has resigned. These are disciplinary action and no disciplinary action. Disciplinary action can only be that the former officer would have been dismissed if still serving.

“Anything less than dismissal without notice would seriously undermine public trust and confidence in the police, would cause additional serious harm to the reputation of the police and would not act as a deterrent to others inclined towards similar behaviour.

“The panel is concerned to ensure that it is plain that violence by officers of South Yorkshire Police will not be tolerated, and to deter future misconduct by other officers. We consider that dismissal would help to prevent future misconduct.

“The panel also considered the need to prevent this former officer from committing future misconduct. That can only be achieved by determining that dismissal would have been appropriate, had he remained in service, and placing him on the barred list.”

The panel obtained Mr Blagden’s service record with the force, which state he had joined the force only weeks before the incident in November 2023, and his last working day was June 1, 2025.

This means Mr Blagden continued to work for the force for 20 months after the alleged assault on his partner.

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.