PC sacked for not showing 'courtesy' to knife-wielding teenager during arrest
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A police force has been criticised by its own officers for releasing footage of a PC 'behaving aggressively and using unreasonable force' while arresting a teenage boy.
PC Lorne Castle was sacked for gross misconduct after a disciplinary hearing held by Dorset Police following the incident in Bournemouth town centre on January 27, 2024.
The two-minute clip released on Tuesday shows the officer tackling the boy to the ground before taking hold of the teenager's face and throat while repeatedly swearing and shouting at him.
He can be heard shouting and crying 'what have I done' and 'what did I do' before the officer shouts: 'Stop screaming like a little b****, do you understand that? Shut up.'
The teenager also screams 'my f****** neck, get off me, I don't want you on me', while PC Castle is on top of him.
The officer later shouts 'Stop resisting or I'm gonna smash you, do you understand?' and says the boy is being arrested on suspicion of assault.
In a statement, Dorset Police said they had chosen to release the body-worn video because of the 'high level of public interest in the outcome of the misconduct hearing locally and to challenge misinformation'.
But the Dorset Police Federation said in a statement of their own the release 'appears primarily to be an attempt by Dorset Police to manage some of the public criticism the force has received following the decision to dismiss the officer, rather than a genuine desire to properly inform the public'.
PC Castle previously admitted misconduct in relation to breaching the standards of professional behaviour relating to authority, respect and courtesy, conduct and use of force but denied gross misconduct, the force added.
However, an independent panel found that the breaches amounted to gross misconduct and PC Castle was dismissed without notice.
The video formed part of the evidence reviewed by the panel during the three-day hearing which concluded on May 29.
A knife was found around four-minutes into PC Castle's interaction with the boy, after he had been put in handcuffs, Dorset Police said.
The force added that the officer had been responding to information that the teenager may have been involved in an earlier suspected assault, but at no time was there any suggestion that a knife had been used.
No further action was taken against the boy in relation to the reported assaults and he was issued with an out of court disposal for possessing the knife, according to police.
Deputy Chief Constable Rachel Farrell said: 'I understand the strength of feeling in this case and it is right to be open and transparent about what the independent panel saw, alongside other evidence and testimony.
'We are sharing body worn video to address concerns about misinformation and to reassure the public that, while tackling crime in Dorset, our officers will continue to be proactive and robust – but by using their powers proportionately and with respect.
'Tackling violence, knife crime and antisocial behaviour are absolutely our priorities.
'At times our officers are required to use force to affect the arrest of suspects, prevent offences and protect the public, their colleagues and themselves.
'I have the utmost respect for the vast majority of officers, who have to use force when making an arrest and do so appropriately and with professionalism, even when they are exposed to risk and violence.
'They do a tough job and when their actions are proportionate, necessary and reasonable they will always be supported.'
In a statement Dorset Police Federation criticised Dorset Police's decision to release the footage, saying the force had done so 'without also providing context or balance'.
It continued: 'The clip released by Dorset Police fails to show the double-bladed knife which falls from the clothing of the suspect at the end of the arrest and that potentially could have been used to inflict serious harm on the officer, the officers' colleagues or a random member of the public.
'It fails to mention the context that – in an early morning briefing – the officer was warned to be extra cautious due to a mass brawl in the town centre just two nights before, a brawl involving youths with machetes and knives, some of the offenders for which were still outstanding.'
The federation added that 'many aspects of the arrest and the force used by the officer were deemed to have been justified, proportionate and reasonable by the independent panel'. More Trending
'Our view is that the showing of selective clips of an officer's body worn video is not a useful or responsible way to properly inform the public about an incident – and only serves to entice the public into making judgments without having the benefit of all the facts.
'This is not fair or just.'
The formal written outcome of the hearing will be published at a later date.
PC Castle will also be placed on the police barred list, preventing him from holding any future role in policing.
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
For more stories like this, check our news page.
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Pictured: The 'small' knife teen was carrying when he was detained by police officer later sacked over 'aggressive' arrest
The 'small' knife carried by a teen later arrested by PC Lorne Castle, who was sacked for showing him a lack of 'courtesy and respect', has been pictured for the first time. The double-bladed 8inch weapon had a Stanley blade on one end, with a retractable serrated blade on the other. The weapon fell out of a 15-year-old boys waistband on January 27, 2024, while PC Castle was arresting him for two alleged assaults in Bournemouth town centre. The ex Dorset officer was dismissed by the force after an independent disciplinary tribunal found he had committed gross misconduct in relation to the arrest. A video clip of the arrest, released by the force on Tuesday, showed the officer tackling the boy, who claimed he needed the knife 'for work', to the ground. In a moment of anger, Mr Castle is seen taking hold of the teenager's face and throat while repeatedly swearing and shouting at him. The boy can be heard shouting and crying 'what have I done' and 'what did I do' before the officer shouts 'stop screaming like a little b****, do you understand that? Shut up'. However, retired chief inspector Chris Amey, who is backing PC Castle, said the weapon shows the presence faced by officers on a daily basis, quipping he was 'embarrassed to have ever worn their uniform.' Referring to the knife, Mr Amey posted: 'Here's the "SMALL" knife that just happened to fall out of a "boy's" waistband whilst being detained for assaulting two members of the public.' Mr Amey said he described it as 'small' because this is how it was detailed by Dorset Police's barrister as well colleagues. 'If we are lucky to catch someone with a knife actually on them whilst committing an assault on two members of the public, we'll let him go and sack the officer for finger pointing and calling him hurty words,' he wrote. 'You literally couldn't make it up. Embarrassed to have ever worn their uniform.' He added: 'The boy could have quite conceivably used that knife and what's to say he would not have gone on to use that knife if Lorne had not discovered it. 'This is driving junior rank and file mad because they have seen their colleague take a knife off the street and how he has been treated by their leaders. 'I've been told by a serving officer that last Friday and Saturday night in the town centre officers were approached by youths who said 'there is nothing you can do to us because we'll get you sacked.'' Just months before making an over-zealous arrest that led to his sacking, Mr Castle had thrown himself into the River Avon in the middle of the night. A vulnerable elderly lady clinging to a tiny parcel of land needed his help so he stripped off his stab vest and threw himself into the icy water to save her in the line of duty. PC Castle knew regulations were clear that he should not enter the river - but without much thought he went in carrying a life ring as her terrified family watched on. 'Do you know what was going through my mind at that time? If I hit her with the ring, or she attempts to get it and gets dragged away I'm up for manslaughter because professional standards will tell me 'you weren't supposed to go in. You were trying to be a hero'', he said today. 'That is the world we operate in', he told the Telegraph. However, despite the risk of his own arrest, he did it anyway and would later win a national bravery award for saving the woman. The ex-police constable had since admitted misconduct in relation to the arrest. He confessed to breaching the standards of professional behaviour relating to authority, respect and courtesy, conduct and use of force, but denied gross misconduct. Following the hearing, Dorset Police said he acted 'inappropriately' as he detained the teenager after receiving reports of two assaults in the seaside town. It is understood that he intends to appeal the decision to sack him for gross misconduct. The married father-of-two said: 'I've got a phenomenal family and everyone knows that, but people are asking that question now 'am I some sort of abuser?' because I attempted to arrest someone who was potentially violent.' During the incident in question, the teenager was also heard screaming: 'My f****** neck, get off me, I don't want you on me', while Mr Castle is on top of him. The officer later shouted: 'Stop resisting or I'm gonna smash you, do you understand?' and says the boy is being arrested on suspicion of assault. A force spokesperson said: 'PC Castle was seen to use unnecessary and inappropriate words towards the boy and place both his hands on his throat. 'The panel found that PC Castle failed to act with self-control, did not treat the boy with courtesy or respect. 'His shouting, swearing, finger pointing, taking hold of the boy's face and throat, and suggested use of leg restraints was not necessary, reasonable or proportionate.' Speaking on LBC radio, Mr Castle said the suspect, who had been wearing a mask, had been 'an unknown risk' and was found to be in possession of a knife during the arrest. The 46-year-old added: 'If I'd have known on those circumstances that he had a knife, that would have probably been a firearms incident. 'The real danger is the unknown. We knew he was potentially violent, but we didn't know how violent. 'Now, the risk for any police officer is the moment you go to detain someone, until you know you've got them safely detained.' He explained it was a 'scary situation' because he was on the ground with the offender with other people nearby. Mr Castle, who previously received a bravery award from the Humane Society, said he had received thousands of messages of support but felt people were questioning his nature despite previously having '10 years of exemplary service'. In a statement, Dorset Police Federation criticised the force's decision to release the footage, saying it had done so 'without also providing context or balance'. 'Our view is that the showing of selective clips of an officer's body-worn video is not a useful or responsible way to properly inform the public about an incident, and only serves to entice the public into making judgements without having the benefit of all the facts', the body said. 'This is not fair or just.' It added its members were still in limbo over how much force they should use in an arrest situation, and following PC Castle's sacking, it called on force commanders to provide 'urgent clarification' to frontline officers on the issue of force. But the federation said no such clarification has been forthcoming. Meanwhile, a distinguished former police and crime commissioner of Dorset Police said his former force has gone 'woke'. Martyn Underhill said he found it 'scary' how Dorset Police behaved, calling it an 'overreaction'. He said that while he deserved to be interviewed and disciplined, they were wrong to dismiss the 46-year-old officer without notice for gross misconduct. He also slammed their 'questionable' decision to release footage of the arrest and said he was one of the 2,500 people who have so far donated to a GoFundMe campaign. A campaigner for frontline police officers said the force had 'scored one of the biggest own goals ever' by sacking PC Castle. Dorset's Deputy Chief Constable Rachel Farrell said: 'We are sharing body worn video to address concerns about misinformation and to reassure the public that, while tackling crime in Dorset, our officers will continue to be proactive and robust - but by using their powers proportionately and with respect.' The Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper, has been asked to intervene in the case and reinstate PC Castle. A spokesperson for the Home Office declined to comment and said it was a matter for Dorset Police.
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