Norfolk Police officer sacked for 'deliberately targeting' ex-wife's divorce lawyer
A police officer who "deliberately targeted" a divorce lawyer who represented his ex-wife has been sacked.
PC Nathan Lawn stopped the solicitor's vehicle while she was driving in Blofield, Norfolk, and issued her a traffic offence report (TOR) for failing to wear a seatbelt on October 6 last year.
"At the time, PC Lawn knew that she was a solicitor who had represented his ex-wife during his divorce proceedings," a misconduct hearing at Norfolk Police's headquarters in Wymondham was told.
"PC Lawn deliberately targeted the solicitor when making the stop because she had represented his ex-wife during divorce proceedings."
The hearing was told PC Lawn was "rude and confrontational" towards the woman and that following the stop he made a "concerted effort to seek to influence the outcome of the TOR" to ensure that she was fined and not offered a driver awareness course.
PC Lawn was also accused of mounting an "extended and committed campaign to discredit his ex-wife" to her employers.
PC Lawn was found to have breached expected standards for professional behaviour and was dismissed without notice.
He has a right of appeal to a Police Appeals Tribunal.