PC's use of homophobic term was gross misconduct

A police officer who used a homophobic term when two children ran away from him committed gross misconduct, a panel has found.

PC Ashley Reid, from Gloucestershire Police, admitted to using the term while searching for two missing children in Coleford on 8 October.

He claimed he muttered the term under his breath in frustration as the children ran away, but the panel overseeing a hearing on Wednesday concluded another police officer, a social worker, and the two children clearly heard what he said.

The panel at the force's headquarters at Waterwells concluded a final written warning of two years was "the correct and proportionate sanction".

Assistant Chief Constable Arman Mathieson, chair of the panel, added: "The use of homophobic language is, and always will be, unacceptable and is not compatible with the role of a police officer."

The hearing found PC Reid, who has 14 years of service as a police officer, immediately apologised and has since exhibited genuine remorse and insight into the offensiveness of the term used.

He was subsequently found to have breached the standards of professional behaviour in relation to Authority, Respect and Courtesy and Discreditable Conduct.

In handing him a final written warning, ACC Mathieson said: "PC Reid was in a position of trust and had a role to safeguard the children, who were vulnerable due to their age, and the public would expect him to be held to account.

"This was a case of one single word said in isolation, in the spur of the moment, immediately followed by an admission and genuine and remorseful apologies to the two people PC Reid believed had heard him."

ACC Mathieson said the comment "was not planned or targeted towards any specific individual or group".

"The panel therefore concluded, when considering all the circumstances and context, that a final written warning of two years was the correct and proportionate sanction in this case," he said.

The full outcome will be published by Gloucestershire Police on its website.

Follow BBC Gloucestershire on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630.