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Police Officer Slapped Female Officer On The Bottom And 'Called Her A Naughty Girl'

Police Officer Slapped Female Officer On The Bottom And 'Called Her A Naughty Girl'

The detective inspector is accused of gross misconduct

Claire Reid

Claire Reid

A police officer slapped a female colleague on the bottom and allegedly called her a 'naughty girl', a misconduct hearing has heard.

Detective Inspector Matt Bank admitted hitting the woman on the bum while she made a cup of tea while they were at work in January this year, the Mirror reports.

The hearing heard that Banks, who works for Kent Police, had made a round of hot drinks for his colleagues but had inadvertently left out the female officer.

Aaron Rathmell who represented Kent Police, told the hearing: "He was making a round of tea, [the woman] was inadvertently left out.

"There was banter between them as he did so. The atmosphere, the context of the exchange was good-humoured at that point."

The hearing heard that Banks then walked over and slapped the woman on the bum and said something along the lines of: "just leave it, you naughty girl, I'll do it".

Bank is accused of gross misconduct by breaching the standards of professional behaviour of authority, respect and courtesy, equality and diversity and discreditable conduct.

PA

He has admitted he hit the woman's bottom and accepted it was misconduct, but denies it amounted to gross misconduct.

Giving evidence, the woman said she 'froze' when he slapped her.

She told the panel: "It was a hard slap, it was a slap on the bottom which was of force, loud enough to hear it, to feel it. It hurt and made me jump."

She added: "I was embarrassed to think that somebody would think that was acceptable, I've never given that impression to anybody in my work or social life that would be acceptable behaviour."

Nick Yeo, who represented Banks at the hearing, said his client had described the woman as a 'cheeky girl' not a 'naughty girl', but the woman says this is wrong.

The tribunal also heard Banks had to discourage the woman from reporting what had happened, telling her 'what I did didn't happen, right?' following the incident.

Yeo said Banks had made the comment through embarrassment and that it had 'no malign purpose'.

A witness told the panel the slap was 'like a ticking off slap, not a sexual slap'.

Speaking on behalf of Banks, Yeo said to the woman: "He wishes to apologise to you.

"He describes himself as being mortified, embarrassed and disappointed and he accepts that he has let you, himself, his family and Kent Police down."

The hearing continues.

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: Police, UK News