2 days ago
Teenager whose arrest led to officer's sacking was involved in drug crime
A teenage knifeman whose arrest led to the sacking of a decorated officer had previously been involved in drug crime, The Telegraph can disclose.
Lorne Castle was dismissed for gross misconduct after tackling the masked 15-year-old suspect to the ground and holding him down while telling him to 'stop screaming like a b----'.
It has now emerged that the teenager had previously been linked to drug dealing in the Bournemouth area and Mr Castle was aware of that before making the arrest.
Mr Castle, who is waiting to hear if he can appeal against his dismissal, has previously said that following the ordeal he no longer feels safe living in the seaside town.
Dorset Police said that the officer, who previously won a bravery award for saving an elderly woman from a freezing river, was sacked because his actions would undermine public confidence in the police.
In written remarks the misconduct panel said that 'notwithstanding the absence of any evidence of actual harm', Pc Castle should have been aware of how his actions might be perceived.
The arrest took place on Jan 27 2024 in Bournemouth. Mr Castle, 46, was at the end of a 10-hour shift when the call about a violent masked offender came in.
The 15 year-old he detained was suspected of assaulting an elderly man while riding an e-scooter before getting embroiled in a fight with another youth outside a McDonald's restaurant.
Earlier in the day, at the start of their shift, officers were warned that a large gang fight had taken place in the area and potential suspects were still at large.
In body-worn video of the arrest, released by Dorset Police, Mr Castle is seen holding the teenager on the ground while telling him to 'stop screaming like a b----'.
A knife is also captured in the footage falling from the youth's pocket.
The boy was not injured in the incident and was later given an out of court disposal for possession of the blade.
The individual that Mr Castle arrested was not the one who complained about his actions. Instead, it was two of his colleagues who assisted in the arrest. Neither had been on the street for more than six months.
Four months before the incident, Mr Castle, who had an unblemished service record before being dismissed, plunged into a freezing river in the middle of the night to rescue a vulnerable elderly woman and was given a police bravery award for his actions.
He has previously told The Telegraph that throughout the rescue he knew that if something went wrong and she died, he could be arrested for manslaughter as police officers should not technically enter the water in such a dangerous situation.
Since his dismissal, Mr Castle said he had received hundreds of messages from serving and former police colleagues offering messages of support.
A Go Fund Me page to support the former officer has raised almost £130,000 so far.
Last week, while out shopping, Mr Castle conducted a citizens arrest on a shoplifter, who was in his 30s, who had fled a Nike store with stolen goods.
The manager of the Nike store later praised Mr Castle, who it was said had been 'extremely pleasant and courteous' to the man he stopped.
