PC who 'punched man in face and caused woman to fall to floor' guilty of gross misconduct

PC Henry Green, 28, was found to have breached standards of professional behaviour at a misconduct hearing in Goole.

The officer has attended a report of fraud and theft involving two men and a woman at a supermarket on Newland Avenue in June 2019.

He arrested and handcuffed the woman and one of the men inside the store.

A BBC report of the misconduct hearing said PC Green used a "leg sweep" to floor the handcuffed woman, and a set of handcuffs to strike the man on the head.

However in interview, he only admitted punching Mr Semper believing he was trying to escape.

Detective Superintendent Matt Baldwin, who heads Humberside Police's Professional Standards Department, said officers were expected to use force only if absolutely necessary.

He said: "“Henry Green displayed an excessive use of force during this incident. The force used was unnecessary, disproportionate and unjustifiable.

"His actions and conduct that day were completely unacceptable and utterly discreditable, falling way below the standards we expect of our officers."

The PC was placed in a non-operational role after the incident pending a criminal and internal investigation.

He was charged with common assault and was due to appear at York Magistrates in 2020.

The court date was postponed on multiple occasions and was finally heard in December 2021 where he was found not guilty of the offences.

The panel will make its decision on sanctions on July 25.