Police officer cleared after he was accused of using homophobic slurs

An officer claimed Police Sergeant David McDonald made a series of offensive comments, calling her a thick d*** ****”, and a “fat ****” at the police station where they were based, between July 2021 and September 2022.

Sergeant McDonald strenuously denied the allegations and was cleared at a disciplinary hearing earlier this month.

Adrian Phillips, chair of the misconduct panel, stated: “There is no evidence that anybody else ever did hear any inappropriate comments, despite people being within earshot in a busy police station.

“All the other people (the officer) names as having heard them or possibly having heard them (namely, Inspector Stockton, PC Parker and PC Kennedy) say they did not hear such comments.”

In a ruling, Mr Phillips said “the only corroboration” was a statement from the officer’s mother, who did not witness any of the comments being made.

He stated the officer who made the allegations was “less credible” than Sergeant McDonald as there were “inconsistencies or inaccuracies” in the evidence she gave.

When asked about an incident in November 2022, when three officers heard her say she hoped Sergeant McDonald “dies” from an illness he was suffering with, she denied making that comment.

Sergeant McDonald’s colleagues said he had “a different" and "acquired" sense of humour but they had never witnessed him being homophobic.

Sergeant Paula Sandford said she was “shocked” by the allegations.

She added: “Dave has supported officers from the LGBTQ community, encouraging them to take part in Pride events and assisted in given one officer the confidence to reveal their sexuality to the workplace.”

Last month, West Yorkshire Police revealed an officer who made “highly sexualised comments” to female colleagues and a racist remark to another officer had been found guilty of gross misconduct.

The officer, who has not been named, was told he would have been dismissed from the force, following a disciplinary hearing, if he had not resigned at an earlier date.

He admitted he had sent inappropriate messages to junior colleagues while he was working as their supervisor.

Nicholas Walker, a solicitor representing the officer, said he has apologised for the comments and attended therapy sessions to address mental health issues.

He said accepted a comment made about another officer’s race was “inappropriate”, but said it was “not malevolent” and he does not have a “racist attitude”.