Sussex Police officers sacked over assault, excess force and 'threatening' speech to arrested woman

A Sussex Police disciplinary heard how one of the officers used excess force against an arrested woman by pushing her head down. Credit: ITV Meridian

A police force has sacked two officers for assault and another for using excessive force and speaking to a female detainee in a "threatening manner".

A Sussex Police disciplinary hearing against PC Morgan Pearson, 24, heard he used excess force against the arrested woman by pushing her head down.

A force spokesman said he also spoke to her "in a derogatory and threatening manner, showing a lack of tolerance and respect".

He added that PC Pearson, from Chichester, "had also spoken to colleagues about the female in a discriminatory way about her mental health and looks, making lewd and abusive comments about her".

The officer resigned from the force in June 2022 after being interviewed about the incident.

A misconduct panel found he had breached the force's standards of professional behaviour and would have been dismissed if he had not already resigned.

He was added to the College of Policing Barred list which will prevent a return to policing.

A separate disciplinary hearing concerned PC Daniel Lott, 33, and PC Daniel Groves, 29, who had been found guilty of assaulting a man they had detained and were transporting into custody in Bognor, following a trial at Brighton Magistrates' Court.

The force spokesman said the incident in May 2022 involved the inappropriate use of PAVA spray.

Both officers, from Bognor, were sentenced to a community order to complete 130 hours of unpaid work, with a victim surcharge of £95 and court costs of £500.

The disciplinary hearing found they also should be dismissed for breaching professional standards and all three officers will be placed on the College of Policing Barred list which prevents them from returning to policing.

Ch Con Jo Shiner said: "The actions of these three officers have tarnished the name of Sussex Police, discredited thousands of hard-working and supremely conscientious colleagues, and, above all else, failed the people of Sussex who put their trust in us."

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