Police chief faces claims that he ‘threw stress ball’ at colleague
A POLICE chief is to be hauled before a misconduct panel over allegations he threw a rubber stress ball at a junior colleague’s neck.
Matthew Horne, Deputy Chief Constable of Essex Police, is accused of throwing the ball “for no apparent reason”. At the time of the alleged incident, he was in his office with two colleagues.
The ball struck a junior officer in the throat and allegedly left him with a “red mark” following the incident on an unknown date between October 2015 and May 2016.
Mr Horne then allegedly pushed the junior colleague “with two hands, causing him to fall on to a desk”, during a conversation about policing matters.
As a result of his alleged behaviour, Mr Horne has been accused of breaching professional standards. He now faces a misconduct hearing to be held in Chelmsford, Essex, on Jan 15.
The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) found that there was a case to answer in August 2017, and the force confirmed Mr Horne was being accused of physical and verbal abuse.
However, full details of the case have only now come to light.
A document released by the force ahead of the hearing read: “’Suddenly, and for no apparent reason, you threw a rubber ‘stress ball’ at (a junior colleague), which hit him in the throat and left a red mark’.” Mr Horne is also accused of repeatedly swearing at a second colleague during a confrontation in a car park outside the force’s control room.
He allegedly “stood with clenched fists, leaning in towards” the colleague and said he “had to leave before (he) punched something”.
Mr Horne also allegedly swore repeatedly at a second colleague during a confrontation in a car park outside the force’s control room. The misconduct hearing, which is to be chaired by Dorian Lovell-pank QC, is listed for six days at Chelmsford Civic Centre.