PC thrown out of force after being kicked out of a nightclub
A police officer who reported he had been assaulted by door staff at Halifax’s Acapulco nightclub and was then accused of changing the police log of the incident has been dismissed from West Yorkshire Police.
PC Liam Simonet was found to have breached the police service’s code of ethics and is now banned from working for any police force in England and Wales after a misconduct hearing.
He was accused of being “in drink” in the early hours of May 13 last year when he “became involved in an altercation with an unknown male” at the popular Halifax town centre nightclub.
It was alleged that altercation resulted in him being ejected from the premises by the club’s door staff.
PC Simonet was then accused of immediately making a 999 call to West Yorkshire Police and alleging that he had been assaulted by the door staff.
The accusation continued: “At approximately 10.41 hours that same day and whilst still off duty, PC Simonet accessed the associated Storm log via his works device without a policing purpose, and endorsed the log stating that he would be dealing with the matter, there was no CCTV and for the log to be closed.
“CCTV did in fact exist at the premises and the incident had been captured. The CCTV footage showed that he was involved in an altercation with the unknown male and door staff, but it portrayed a different version of events to that provided within the 999 call and in his update on the log. In particular, he appeared to be the aggressor and there was no evidence that he had been punched by door staff as alleged.”
A spokesperson for West Yorkshire Police said the force expects the highest standards of behaviour from its officers and staff, both on and off duty.
"The alleged behaviour of this officer constituted a breach of the police service’s code of ethics with regards to confidentiality, honesty and integrity,” said the spokesperson.
Detective Chief Superintendent Nicola Bryar, of West Yorkshire Police’s Professional Standards Directorate, said: “The behaviour of this officer was quite simply unacceptable and completely at odds with the standards that we expect. This has been reflected in the outcome of today’s hearing.”