Blog entry by Aundrea Merrick
Police officers made 'sickening' comments about an assault victim while watching a body-worn video of her having a seizure with her groin and chest exposed.
Three Thames Valley Police PCs watched and ridiculed footage of a woman's body being exposed in a police van in Newbury, Berkshire, the BBC have revealed.
The incident happened when the victim was arrested, handcuffed and held in leg restraints after officers believed she had committed an assault, despite having been assaulted herself.
There is no public evidence that any of the officers involved faced a misconduct hearing, while the student officer who reported them was later dismissed.
Thames Valley Police said the remarks caught in the recording were 'unacceptable' and had reported the incident to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).
However, the force did not voluntarily refer the officers' ridiculing of the woman at the time of the incident, something the IOPC says it would have expected them to do.
Three Thames Valley Police PCs watched and ridiculed footage of a woman's body being exposed in a police van in Newbury, Berkshire, the BBC have revealed (stock image)
The victim was recorded on body-worn video vomiting and losing consciousness, before suffering from the seizure and exposing herself.
The next day, a female officer watched the video while reviewing CCTV footage at her desk at Newbury Police Station.
The three male officers, one of whom was the student officer's tutor, then joined the female officer and made 'sickening comments' about the victim's body.
One of the officers described the women as having 'crusty' or 'manky' breasts, while another officer asked to see her 'minge'.
A fourth male colleague also joined a discussion about how much money officers would need to be paid to have sex with her.
The other officers referred to the woman by name while making comments, and were clearly aware of her identity, the student officer said in his statement.
The female victim says the force had not told her what had happened at the time.
She believes all three officers should have been arrested for their actions.
The victim told the BBC: 'It makes me feel betrayed. The police are supposed to be the people you go to when you need help.'
The student officer says he was 'shunned' by colleagues after reporting the officers' conduct and shown job adverts outside policing by a sergeant.
He was dismissed in August after being told he was not physically or mentally 'fitted' to be a police constable. If you have any kind of questions pertaining to where and ways to use rylie rowan alanis casting xxx (https://www.tantriccollectivelondon.com/massages/tantric-massage), you can contact us at our own webpage.
He told the BBC: 'The fact I had to weigh up reporting what I saw against keeping my career is a disgrace.
'I was dismissed for reporting misconduct - there's no doubt in my mind.'
Thames Valley Police said the remarks caught in the recording were 'unacceptable' and had reported the incident to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (file image)
Thames Valley Police thanked the student officer for reporting what he saw and say all three officers have faced private misconduct meetings.
A force spokesperson said the student officer did not lose their employment as a result of reporting on the officer's behaviour.
In fact, Thames Police say measures were taken to support the officer, including moving him to another station and changing his tutors.
Deputy Chief Constable Ben Snuggs said: 'We pride ourselves in treating people with fairness and respect. The behaviour of the officers in this case fell well below the standards we expect from our people, and I thank the former student officer who reported this. Their action allowed us to act immediately to investigate, and subsequently sanction the officers involved.
'It's critical our people feel they can come forward and report, so I must make it very clear the former student officer who reported this to us did not lose their employment as a result. We took action to support them through the complaint process, and the later ending of their employment is an entirely separate matter.
'We strive to promote a culture of transparency and welcome greater scrutiny of our actions. We have therefore referred this case to the Independent Office for Police Conduct. We will also work closely with our local independent scrutiny group, comprised of members of the public, to review this incident and consider any further learnings.'
The IOPC say an independent investigation is now being carried out, following the BBC report.
The woman's seizure while in police custody was reported to the regulator - under rules mandating such referrals - but the officers' viewing of the footage and ridiculing of the woman was not voluntarily handed over.
The regulator also said it would have expected the force to immediately refer the conduct for it to decide whether an independent investigation was required.
The IOPC say an independent investigation is now being carried out, following the BBC report (file image)
The case is 'a horror story of misogyny and sexism' that is 'massively' damaging to public confidence, former chief prosecutor for the Crown Prosecution Service, Nazir Afzal says.
Mr Afzal says the BBC's investigations have uncovered 'systemic failings' in the scrutiny of police body-worn video - and the Newbury case is 'very troubling'.
The BBC previously revealed more than 150 reports of body-worn camera misuse in 2023.
Donna Jones, the chair of the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners, now wants mandatory rules for camera use which officers would be obliged to comply with.
She described the previous findings as 'truly shocking', which had already led to forces tightening up systems to prevent the deletion of footage, but added that the cameras were appropriately used in the majority of 18 million recordings made each year.
BBC