Ex-officer ruled unfit to serve in police after bullying his lover
SENIOR police officers pledged to tackle domestic abuse after a former PC faces being barred for going through his girlfriend’s handbags and checking her phone.
Former South Wales Police PC Jonathan Price was ruled unfit to serve as a police officer because of his bullying treatment of his girlfriend.
Price was accused of repeatedly swearing at the woman and was aggressive when she came into contact with other men.
It was not ruled severe enough to face criminal prosecution but Price left South Wales Police in 2019 – and a disciplinary panel concluded that his behaviour amounted to gross misconduct.
Panel chairman Callum Cowx said: “The panel do accept that the specific allegations made by Ms A had a detrimental effect on her. It was clear that Price has acted in an abusive manner.
“Price invaded Ms A’s privacy by monitoring her phone and by going through her handbags. We are satisfied that his behaviour did bring discredit on himself and on the police service.”
Case presenter Jonathan Walters said: “The officer commenced a relationship with Ms A at some time in October 2017.
“The allegations against him all centre on the way in which he behaved towards her and others with whom he came into contact as a result of that relationship.
“The relationship between Price and Ms A came to an end in the summer of 2018 when, finally, Ms A could no longer withstand the controlling, coercive, manipulative and abusive conduct towards her.”
Price was faced with allegations of discreditable conduct, aggressive behaviour, unlawful damage and unlawful assault against the same woman at the misconduct hearing.
The hearing was told Price searched her phone and called her a “stinking rat” when he found messages from her female best friend.
He then repeatedly accused her of “wanting attention from other males” and made derogatory comments about her appearance and clothes.
Mr Walters said: “This was not simply the to-ings and fro-ings of a relationship that was tempestuous.
“This former officer is someone who should not and will not be a police officer.
“We contend that it was controlling and coercive and did constitute emotional abuse.
“The evidence is compelling and unchallenged. It describes an individual who defies the norms of decent behaviour.
“The behaviour of Price amounts to a breach of the standard of professional behaviour. The behaviours are so serious that they amount to gross misconduct.”
The hearing was also told of an incident during a holiday to Georgia and New York in 2018. It was heard he locked his partner out of their hotel room and threatened to leave her behind – packing a bag to “ensure she believed he was being serious”. But an allegation that Price unlawfully assaulted Ms A while on the US holiday was found not proved.
Mr Cowx said: “The panel was satisfied that the facts were proven; however, Price’s actions did not amount to unlawful assault.
“We accept there was touching and that there was a degree of manhandling but we have to consider carefully whether that amounts to assault or, more properly, a battery.”
A referral will now be made to the College of Policing for the officer to be added to the barring list, preventing him from returning to the profession.
Superintendent Mark Lenihan, of the South Wales Police Professional Standards Department, said: “The former officer’s conduct while off duty fell well short of the standards of professional behaviour expected of police officers and as a result he has lost his career within the police service.
“Tackling domestic violence and abuse is a priority for South Wales Police and we take allegations of this nature against police officers and staff extremely seriously.
“While the behaviour in this particular case did not meet the threshold for a criminal prosecution it has resulted in a finding of gross misconduct against the officer concerned.”