PC dismissed after letting suspect drink alcohol

A police officer has been dismissed without notice after allowing a suspect to drink alcohol while under arrest.

A misconduct panel found PC Sean Clayton-Chance, of Thames Valley Police, committed gross misconduct during an incident in August 2024.

The officer, who was based in Oxfordshire, was also found by the misconduct hearing to have deliberately angled his body-worn camera away while the drink was poured and consumed.

It also found he had written a note out of sight of the camera encouraging the suspect to "get rid" of anything they should not have on them.

A separate claim that Clayton-Chance made an inappropriate comment about a female member of the public while sitting at traffic lights was also upheld.

In its findings, the misconduct panel said Clayton-Chance's conduct had "created a clear and obvious risk" to the suspect in question.

It said it also impacted the suspect's "ongoing welfare and also the potential welfare of others who may come into contact" with them.

The officer accepted that his decision was "ill-judged and against policy".

Clayton-Chance told the panel that he "wanted the suspect to stay calm and hoped it would mean" that they would "remain compliant".

He said he had handed the suspect the note in an attempt to retrieve potentially stolen items but admitted: "It was a poor choice of words."

The panel concluded that the actions of Clayton-Chance would, if known by the public, "further harm the reputation of the police service" at a time of "national public and media concern relating to standards and in policing".

It found the former officer had "significantly abused his position of trust", finding him guilty of gross misconduct and dismissing him without notice.

"The proven actions of the officer fundamentally undermined the relationship between the police and the public," the panel added.