Female police officer is not sacked despite gross misconduct finding for drunkenly kissing colleague’s cheek and putting her warm around another’s waist on night out
- PC Hayley Pegg accused of subjecting four colleagues to unwanted touching
- She was found to have committed gross misconduct – a sackable offence
- Misconduct hearing panel found that PC Pegg grabbed an officer’s face, tried to kiss an officer and kissed an officer on the cheek without obtaining consent
A female police officer hasn’t been sacked despite drunkenly kissing a colleague’s cheek and being found guilty of gross misconduct.
PC Hayley Pegg, of Northumbria Police, was accused of subjecting four colleagues to unwanted touching.
She attended a misconduct hearing at the Old Magistrates’ Court in Houghton-le-Spring last month in relation to the alleged conduct.
She was found to have committed gross misconduct – a ruling so serious that it can result in an officer being fired.
During the misconduct hearing, which took place between July 11 and 15, a panel found that PC Pegg grabbed an officer’s face, tried to kiss an officer and kissed an officer on the cheek without obtaining consent.
PC Hayley Pegg, of Northumbria Police (HQ pictured), was accused of subjecting four colleagues to unwanted touching
The panel also found that PC Pegg did intentionally put her arm around the waist of another officer. They found the officer did not consent to it and there was no attempt by PC Pegg to obtain such consent.
Following the five-day hearing, the panel found that PC Pegg breached the standard of authority, respect and courtesy.
The panel found an allegation against a third colleague was not intentional but was accidental. Another allegation against a fourth colleague was not proven.
The panel found that the matters amounted to gross misconduct. They decided a final written warning was ‘sufficient’ when considering the serious nature of the proven allegations, the purpose of the regime and the protection of the public.
It found the matter did not meet the threshold test for dismissal and a final written warning will properly fulfil the purpose of the misconduct regime.
Superintendent Steve Ammari, Head of the Professional Standards Department at Northumbria Police, said: ‘When we became aware of concerns relating to the off-duty conduct of this student officer they were suspended.
‘We carried out a thorough investigation and as a result presented a case to an independently-chaired misconduct hearing where they received a final written warning.
‘We would like to take this opportunity to recognise those colleagues who rightly came forward to report their concerns. We have always been clear that we expect officers, staff and volunteers to maintain the highest standards at all times.
‘If anyone is found to have fallen below these we are committed to taking appropriate action. We can confirm that the officer remains suspended at this time while we consider the outcome of the hearing.’
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